


The Road to Belonging

by Beer_Fett



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Prequel Trilogy, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types, mandalorian - Fandom
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Canon Divergence - Star Wars Expanded Universe, Multi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-02-27
Updated: 2020-09-15
Packaged: 2021-02-28 05:08:35
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 20
Words: 61,089
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22918231
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Beer_Fett/pseuds/Beer_Fett
Summary: Growing up on Kamino can be difficult, especially if you aren’t a clone or a Kaminoan. After her parents are killed during their crash landing on Kamino, Beta Regant is put to work training with the new clone army and entrusted to the care of bounty hunters brought in to train the clones. The older she becomes, the more she realizes how many outside parties are keeping tabs on her... but for what purpose? And what will happen when the Clone Wars begin... or end?
Relationships: Boba Fett/Original Female Character(s)
Comments: 11
Kudos: 44





	1. Keeping Tabs

**Author's Note:**

> This is a story I have written and rewritten since I was 11 years old... and a meager 18 years later, I’m finally getting around to putting it online. This is not a finished story, so stay tuned for future works. If you’re a fan of the prequel trilogy and the additional canon/EU works, I hope you enjoy it!

32 BBY

~

_Swirling wind. Destruction. Sparking wires. A trail of smoke as a starship descends to a planet enveloped by hurricanes. Two figures slumped over a console that disintegrates by sluggish flames licking at the console. And at the center of the whirlwind, a crying three-year-old girl._

_The winds calm and the girl climbs up to the console, tears still crawling down her face. The warm, constant presence from her mother is replaced by cold nothingness._

_Tremors rock the ship as the storms cast it about. The toddler grasps the controls of the ship and uses the last working parts of its system to direct it to a landing platform that sticks out from a structure built overtop the tossing waves below. The landing is not graceful, but the girl is alive. Fear makes her body quake._

_The crash alerts the city’s inhabitants and two visitors. Several natives and two humans rush out to the smoldering wreckage. The ship’s gangplank lowers slowly and the girl stumbles out of the hull, tears streaming down her face._

_“Please help my mommy and poppy!” she wails. “Th-they’re hurt!”_

_One of the humans, a tall man with silver hair kneels by the child, appraising her. He knows who the girl is and the powers she possesses. His companion, another human male, knows little, except that she is strong with the Force._

_“Dooku, I must take her back to the Temple,” he urges. “She must be trained!”_

_“Not yet, my friend,” responds Dooku. “We must leave her here until you can have a Sentinel sent for her.”_

_“But her strength in the Force is so unique… powerful, yet artificially fused to her.”_

_“Exactly why we must wait for a Sentinel to assess her, Master Sifo-Dyas.”_

_“P-Please…” the girl sniffles. “Mommy and Poppy won’t wake up…”_

_Sifo-Dyas rushes into the ship holding a bright laser sword aloft. Dooku continues evaluating the circumstances of the girl’s arrival, and he knows he can’t trust the Jedi to help her realize her full potential._

_“Taun We!” he calls, turning around and waving one of the natives over._

_“Yes, Lord Tyranus?”_

_“This child must stay here and be kept under the radar at all costs,” he says firmly. “When Jango Fett arrives, I will fill him in. I will provide whatever payment you need to take care of her.”_

_“I understand.”_

_Sifo-Dyas emerges from the ship with resigned eyes. “Both of the parents are dead.”_

_Dooku gives Taun We a long look that emphasizes discretion. It doesn’t matter; the Kaminoans have everything they need with the arrival of the child, but it will be several years, if not decades, before she can realize her full potential._

_“What is your name, little one?” Sifo-Dyas asks the girl gently._

_“B-Beta Regant,” she answers in a quivering voice._

_“Well, young Beta, I will be back for you soon. I must return to the Jedi Council, but I promise I shall return.”_

_Taun We takes Beta’s hand and leads her inside, out of the rain, and into a small apartment. She looks out the window and sees a group of natives working together to push the crashed starship into the sea below._

_“Sleep, little one,” the alien whispers in a soothing voice. She lifts Beta into the bed and tucks her in. “I’ll see you in the morning.”_

__~_ _

27 BBY

__~_ _

Beta Regant did not need an alarm clock to wake up at 0400 hours; it was second nature to her, and her preferred time of arousal. It was an hour before all of the clones were trained to wake up. If she woke up this early, she could practice in the combat simulation arena by herself with no one watching.

As long as she could remember since she arrived on Kamino, Taun We had sent her to train first on her own with a bounty hunter named Jango Fett, then with the clones of Jango Fett that the Kaminoans had created. The bounty hunter kept special watch over her lessons, and when she showed signs of slowing down, he made her do extra exercises privately with him to build her endurance.

Beta knew Jango and the other bounty hunters he had hired to train the clones were all prepping her for some unknown purpose. Her ability to keep up with the progressively intense training of the clones, despite the fact that her compatriots aged twice as fast as her, made her believe that she had been brought here specifically to use that gift. She also had a keen sense to the emotions and feelings of those with whom she interacted on a regular basis. She used this gift to predict the actions of other individuals, developing a hyper-reflexive combat style.

Beta ate her meal by herself in her apartment like she did every morning and got dressed in front of the mirror. Her short, blonde hair was cropped as closely to her face as its messiness would allow; particularly troublesome was the large clump of cowlicks that stood up on the back of her head. Taun We had told her she had inherited her mother’s green eyes. Her garb was identical to the adolescent clones’ clothing: a tunic, undershirt, pants, and high-calf boots.

It felt strange to sleep in her own room when the clones had to bunk in pods literally on top of each other. Night was also the only time of day when she was by herself and separated from the soldiers’ camaraderie. The young girl could not let herself dwell on this for long, though; it led to feelings of loneliness, which she had been told were detrimental to a soldier’s morale.

Sighing, Beta trotted down to one of the obstacle courses in the training center and soaked in the stillness. Here, with no one around, she could pretend she was blowing up battle droids without the scrutiny of the trainers. She could leap and tumble and flip from barrier to barrier, letting herself get caught up in the flow of the acrobatics, until —

“Atten- _TION!”_

Beta stuck the landing of a flip and stayed in one spot, standing as straight as a rod. She didn’t dare to look to see who it was until they were standing right in front of him.

“Who gave you authorization to be in here, Private Regant?” Jango Fett demanded.

“No one, sir.”

“Then why do you think it’s okay for you to be here?”

“Everyone needs as much training as they can get, sir.”

Jango considered her words. His head tilted slightly, as if he was listening for something. “Come out, Boba!”

A small five-year-old human male waddled out from behind the door to the obstacle course. Boba Fett had dark, curly hair that fell in waves around his face. He himself was a clone: an exact replica of Jango Fett, without any tinkering or modifications to the host’s genetics.

“Dad, can I play on the obstacle course too?” the boy asked with a hint of a pout on his face.

“Private Regant isn’t playing, Boba. She’s training.”

“But you’re not telling her what to do!”

“Well, son, eventually you will get to a point when you don’t have to be told what to do. You’ll know what the right thing to do is, even when there’s no one around to tell you what it is – like this!”

Without warning, he took a swing at Beta’s face. She dodged it blindly, then snapped back to her attentive stance.

Jango nodded approvingly at her reaction. “At ease, Private. I think it’s time I started teaching you some skills that aren’t in the clones’ basic training. We’ll start this evening. For now… Boba, you can stay here and watch Beta if you want.”

“Thanks, Dad!”

The bounty hunter walked away, and Boba began somersaulting over and around the obstacles. A few moments passed before he whispered, “Hey, Beta, is he still watching?”

“Nope, he’s gone.” She vaulted over the short barrier he was hiding behind and sat next to him. “What are you doing up so early? I need to train.”

“You’re always training.” Boba’s bottom lip stuck out. “I wish you had time to play with me.”

“If I don’t train, then I’m not as good as the bigger clones.”

“But you’re the best.”

“No, your dad is.”

“Well, him too. Can we play now? Oh! I know! Let’s play with the sparring rods!”

Beta grinned mischievously and went over to pick up two long rods from the weapons rack. She tossed one to Boba, who caught it deftly and dropped into the defensive posture his father had taught him. While she was caught up in the sparring match, she didn’t sense a Mandalorian bounty hunter by the name of Kal Skirata watching the pair from the observation tower.

~

The day progressed into her standard routine: command training, firearms training, midday meal, combat training, and scenario training. Beta couldn’t shake the feeling that she was being eyed closely by one of the trainers.

The clones were starting to become familiar with the standard white armor they would use when they were called into action. Given that Beta was several sizes smaller than them, the Kaminoans created custom-sized armor for her with a smaller helmet. They did this to ensure she felt part of the unit. The blaster rifle she used, however, was full-sized, and it was as long as her arm.

When the clock struck 1600 hours, her squad began to disperse to the showers. She, instead, turned in the direction of the sparring floor, where Jango would meet her.

“Ah, ah, ah. Not so fast there, Private.”

Beta found herself in the middle of a circle of Null-class Advanced Reconnaissance Commandos. To any casual passerby, they would appear to be burly adolescent youth, but in reality, Beta had been alive three years longer than they had. She knew them by reputation, but had never met them. Sergeant Kal Skirata had taken them under his wing when the Kaminoans, thinking they were a failed batch, attempted to terminate them. They tended to cause trouble around the training facilities whenever possible.

“ _Kal’buir_ thinks you’re a match for us,” the one named Ordo said. “I disagree. You’re just the _vaar'ika_.”

The young girl felt a hot flash of anger. She knew enough Mando’a to know he had called her a runt. Her throat tightened, constricting her voice. “Maybe you should pick on someone your own age, youngling.”

Ordo gave her shoulder a light push in retaliation. She stood stock still. Another push, another non-reaction. A’den, one of the other Nulls, seized her shoulders from behind to hold her in place.

“Listen, _vaar'ika_ ,” Ordo mocked, “it doesn’t matter how much extra training Commander Fett gives you. You’ll never even come close to what we’re capable of.”

“Nicknames. How mature,” she snickered.

A second later, his fist headed straight for her face, but she dipped her head enough so that he hit A’den’s eye. Using this distraction, Beta slipped out of the Null’s grasp and walked away briskly to make it seem like nothing had happened. She dared a glance over her shoulder, only to walk straight into Jango Fett’s Mandalorian armor.

Blast - I’m late, she panicked.

“Commander Fett, sir,” she said, instantly falling into a posture of attention. “I was just on my way. I know I’m late. It won’t happen again.”

Jango considered her for a moment, then his eyes drifted past her and rested on the Nulls, who were bickering about Ordo punching A’den. “Making friends, Private?”

Beta’s eyes dropped to the floor. “Something like that.”

One of the clones from Beta’s squad trotted up to the pair. He stood at attention as well and snapped a salute. “Commander Fett, sir.”

“At ease, soldier,” Fett responded. “What do they call you?”

“Rex, sir. The Null clones were bullying Private Regant, and one threw a punch at her. I saw what happened with my own eyes.”

“Thank you for your report, Rex. You’re excused.”

Beta shot Rex a look of gratitude before he walked away, leaving her to await Jango’s assessment.

“It seems you managed to get on the wrong side of the Nulls, Private. Did they say why?”

“Because Sergeant Skirata thinks I’m a match for them.”

“Does he, now? Well, you certainly can’t live up to that reputation if you don’t keep training.”

“They called me a runt.” She balled her hands into fists at the very reminder that she was smaller than the clones.

“And because of that, you were faster than they were. Small does not always mean weak.”

“But it feels like it.”

“Then why don’t we go ahead and make you stronger? Let’s head to the sparring mats.”

~

When the pair arrived at their destination, Boba was waiting for them. Next to him stood a familiar female bounty hunter.

“Zam!” Beta exclaimed, then realized she had broken her rigid demeanor. She glanced nervously at Jango.

“You can relax, Beta,” he assured her. “This training is off the clock. Thanks for coming, Zam.”

“Hey, kiddo,” Zam Wesell greeted. “Or, should I say… Private Regant, ma’am. At your service.”

Zam was a female Clawdite changeling and Jango’s bounty hunting partner. She made sure to see Beta every time she was on Kamino to make sure the youth had a positive female influence in her life — or as positive as bounty hunting would allow.

“Are you staying long?” begged Beta. “Please say yes.” Her eyes were shining brighter, and she looked her age for the first time that day.

“I’m just here to watch. I hear there are people keeping tabs on you, and I want to be on that list.”

“Yeah, me too!” Boba interrupted gleefully. He plopped down on the ground against the wall and pulled out the packet of loovar candies that Zam had brought him.

Jango saw the foodstuff and looked at his partner disapprovingly. “Zam, what did I say about bringing my son sweets?”

“Hmm, you know what? I don’t recall at the moment.” The Clawdite then leaned in to whisper in Beta’s ear, “I tell you what, these Fetts need more women in their lives. I’ll give you twenty credits to plant a big one on Boba’s lips when he turns thirteen.”

“Deal,” hissed Beta in response.

Fett gave Zam an exasperated look but turned his attention to Beta. “Take your armor off and grab the sparring swords, Beta. We’re trying something new today.”

The girl did as she was told, keenly aware of Zam and Boba watching intently. She tossed Jango his training tool and gave her own a few practice swings.

“You need to be proficient in weapons outside of the standard army regimen,” he explained. “Now attack me.”

She took a clumsy swing at his torso that he blocked easily. Jango retaliated with a strike that knocked her off her feet. Beta’s face flushed red from embarrassment, but she picked herself off of the ground nonetheless.

“Watch where my sword is going,” instructed Jango. “You need to think ahead to predict where your opponent will try to get under your guard. Try again.”

Fett was the type of instructor who never offered praise, only ways to improve or a determination that she had mastered a technique. The training session continued in such a fashion.

Boba and Zam watched the girl closely. The more that Beta was knocked off her feet, the more frustrated she became. Instead of becoming sloppy, though, she grew more focused and driven. Her form and movements improved gradually until she began landing blows on Jango more frequently than she found herself flat on the ground with his stick at her throat.

At long last, Jango held up his hand before Beta could reset her defensive position after landing a flip over his head. “That’s enough for today. You’re dismissed.”

“Yes, sir.”

She walked to the sidelines and took a knee, finally showing her exhaustion.

“Your turn, Boba,” Fett called. A ghost of a smile played on his face watching his son walk onto the mat eagerly and pick up the sparring sword Beta had left behind.

Beta was now sitting beside Zam and watching the difference in how Jango taught Boba versus how he taught her. It was moments like these when she remembered that she used to have parents once. The hollowness in her stomach became more pronounced.

“Hey, kiddo.” Zam nudged Beta. “You did good up there. The clone army will be lucky to have you as a leader.”

“A leader when they all grow twice as fast as me? And they’re boys. Boys get whatever they want.”

“Don’t ever let gender define what control you think you have. That’s how men think they can have control over you.”

“So what about age, then?”

“Just remember you’re older than all of them. Candy?”

“Now this is not approved army food.” Still, the girl took the offered sweets.

Beta glanced at the father and son dueling in the middle of the room one more time. She masked the tight lump in her throat when she said, “I’m going to go to my room. It was good to see you, Zam.”

As she was leaving the room, she looked up towards the balcony. Sergeant Skirata was watching her closely with a pensive expression on his face. She narrowed her eyes slightly at him, then began the trek back to her apartment.

~

One of Beta’s favorite activities in her apartment, besides her evening meal, was sitting on the floor in her bedroom, closing her eyes, and getting lost in the silence. But even the silence was loud: a never-ending whirlwind of conflicting energy, light and shadow at war with each other. A darkness was creeping ever closer, swallowing up the light.

Her militaristic upbringing had not squashed her wanderlust and mischievousness. Every now and then, she would sneak over to the docking bay in Tipoca City and stare at Jango Fett’s ship, Slave I. Tonight was one of those nights. Beta imagined she was off with him and Boba traveling the galaxy and capturing bounties. Deep down, she knew this was a foolish notion, but she also believed imagination and creativity were vital to her success in the clone army.

“Hello, Sergeant Skirata,” she greeted, feeling the bounty hunter’s presence approaching.

“Good evening, Private Regant. Wandering the corridors at night again?”

“Maybe. I’ll go to bed now.”

“Not so fast there.” Kal caught her shoulder before she could walk away. His fingers dug into her skin when she tried to pull away. “I hear my boys gave you a rough time today. Why didn’t you fight back?”

“I did, though.”

“Oh?”

“I knew they wanted me to get violent, but instead I did what they weren’t expecting. I fought back by walking away. And I won.”

“Winning and running away aren’t the same thing. If you run, they won’t stop chasing you. The clones are being trained to stand and fight. It’s the Mandalorian way.”

“But I’m not a clone. I had a mom and dad before I came here. I miss having a family.”

“I was an orphan, too. I know what it feels like to be alone in the world, but I also know what it feels like to be adopted into a new family. It happened to me when I was your age.”

Beta didn’t respond. Instead, she stopped pulling against his grip and returned to staring at Slave I. “Maybe Commander Fett will adopt me.”

“I wouldn’t count on it. He’s not a Mandalorian. I do see potential for you to be a member of Clan Skirata.”

“With the Nulls? They hate me.”

“They hate you because they think you’re stealing my attention from them. I train the Nulls, but they are not formally adopted. They’re still clones, and they will still need to serve in the army. You, on the other hand… you’re different. I honestly can’t say whether you will serve when the army gets called up. I advise caution. There are more people watching you than you think, and they all want to use you for their own gain.”

“Including you?”

“Perhaps.” He considered her stature and her guarded expression. “Jango Fett can train you better than most clones. He could train you to be a soldier with a few tricks up your sleeve. But if you were transferred into my unit for your day-to-day training, I would consider you a foundling and part of Clan Skirata. Your training would be like a Null’s, but more suited for your age. You would be the most well-equipped soldier in the whole army. When you come of age and pass the _verd’goten_ , you would be a Mandalorian and sworn to the creed.”

“What about the rest of the Nulls? Wouldn’t they be more prepared?”

“The Nulls are a far more specialized unit. Chances are they won’t be around outsiders much.”

Beta stared into Skirata’s eyes for a long moment before finally nodding. The emptiness she felt when she watched Jango and Boba together came to mind. Kal’s invitation to join his clan offered her a sense of hope that she could have a family too. “Okay, I’ll do it.”

Kal smiled warmly at her. It was the first time anyone had smiled at her like that since she’d arrived on Kamino. “ _Ni kyr'tayl gai sa'ad_. It means, ‘I know your name as my child.’ Welcome to Clan Skirata, Beta.” Kal pulled a mythosaur skull pendant from his pocket and handed it to her. “Carry this with pride. Now get to bed before I report you.”

She stared in awe at the pendant, running her fingers over it, then snapped a quick salute before retreating to her room. It was almost too good to be true: someone had opened their arms to her in acceptance. Now she just needed to prove she was worth accepting.


	2. Feel, Don’t Think

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Beta’s abilities continue to strengthen, and as they do, Kal and Jango continue to disagree on her training due to their conflicting loyalties.

25 BBY

~

“This is the way,” Beta muttered to herself over and over.

That phrase was the only thing keeping her body moving throughout the rigorous exercises Sergeant Skirata assigned her. When she wasn’t in hand-to-hand combat drills, she was mowing down holographic battle droids and turrets with training blasters or working on her physical endurance.

She stood tall on an elevated platform with a staff in her hand. Below were three clones itching for the chance to knock her off of the pedestal: Rex, Cody, and Cord. Their eagerness betrayed them – Beta knew she could use it against them. She glanced towards the observation platform where Kal was watching her. It was a little surprising to also see Jango standing next to him, his arms folded across his chest. He leaned over and muttered something to Kal, who nodded and smirked slightly. Boba was present also, mimicking his father’s stance.

“Begin,” ordered Kal.

Cody was the first to leap up to challenge Beta. “Ready for this, Beta?”

“I was born ready,” was the curt response. The teenager twirled her staff in anticipation.

The pair engaged each other in combat, matching each other stroke-for-stroke. Beta used her smaller stature to her advantage, eventually knocking his footing out from under him. She finished with a roundhouse kick to his chest. Cody flew off the platform and landed on the mats below. Before she could catch her breath, Rex advanced on her. He put up more of a fight than Cody did before Beta eventually unseated him as well.

Finally, Cord stepped up for his round. “Okay, Beta, let’s do this one more time.”

Beta’s eyes narrowed. “There’s something different about you today. You have a new strategy.”

“Maybe I do, maybe I don’t.”

“Well, let’s not wait to find out.”

Beta threw the first blow and knocked him off of his feet in the first minute. He stood up quickly, though, and smiled wryly. “Won’t be that easy this time, Corporal.”

Rex and Cody clambered onto the platform in front of her. Startled at being suddenly outnumbered, Beta stepped backwards. Her foot slipped off of the edge, and before she knew it, she was hanging off the ledge by her fingertips. Cord knelt down and chuckled. “You were right about the new strategy.” He pushed her hands off of the edge and she fell onto her back on the ground.

Her face flushed in embarrassment. She knew she’d messed up. What if Kal doesn’t let me become a Mandalorian after that? What if it was one mistake too many?

 _You should probably fight harder to earn your place,_ the other side of Beta responded.

Energy coursed through her veins, giving her new strength. She summoned it and vaulted into a flip above their heads, landing on the other side of the platform. They didn’t hesitate to charge her, but she stood firm and battled them back. When she took a blow to the body, she fought through the pain and regained the high ground one step at a time. Finally, all three clones found themselves right back where they started: staring up at Beta on the platform.

“The exercise is complete,” Skirata announced. “You’re all dismissed.”

Beta jumped off of the pedestal to admiring pats on the back from Cody, Rex, and Cord. They turned towards the exit to allow the next round of clones to enter. Before she left the room, Beta looked over her shoulder at Kal and Jango for any kind of affirmation, but they were more interested in the conversation they were having.

~

“She’s falling behind again,” snapped Jango. “If I had been training her, she would’ve stayed on the platform. I’ll need to train her again tonight on her technique.”

Skirata frowned. “She also just fought off three fully-grown clones by herself. What more do you want from a ten-year-old?”

“I need her to be prepared to leave behind the clones’ training at a moment’s notice. The war will be different for her than what she’s training for.”

“And what exactly is that, Fett? You’re keeping her here, but for what purpose? Why don’t you train her to be a bounty hunter if you want her to experience life outside her comfort zone?”

Boba’s ears perked up. “Can we, Dad? Can Beta be a bounty hunter like us too?”

“Not now, son.” Jango shot him a warning glance before turning his gaze back to Kal. “Beta is under my care, but only until the person who is paying me to watch her comes to collect her.”

“So you’re basically fattening a calf before feeding her to someone else. Real honorable, bounty hunter. Me? I get that she won’t be a foot soldier. She has gifts beyond the clones’ abilities. But I also get that she arrived on Kamino as a new orphan. She needs a sense of family.”

“And you think you’re going to give that to her?”

“Yes. It’s my duty as a Mandalorian. She is a foundling. I have an obligation to protect her until she comes of age and swears to the creed or she is returned to her own kind.”

Jango scoffed. “Kind? What kind? There is no kind like her you would want to return her to.”

“Well, then, I’ll watch over her until she comes of age. But she is not of age yet. She is a child well beyond her years, but still a child.”

Troubled, Boba ducked out of the room. He could hear the argument continuing. Why did Skirata think he was Beta’s family? Did Beta think he and Jango weren’t good enough? He had always assumed they were Beta’s family. After all, they still sparred, played, dreamed, and ate together on her rest and relaxation days.

He almost ran headlong into Beta in the corridor outside their apartments. She was still dressed in her sweaty workout attire, and he couldn’t tell if she seemed downtrodden from exhaustion or other reasons.

“Hey, Beta!”

“Oh, hi, Boba.”

Boba cocked his head. “You seem sad. Everything okay?”

“I dunno… I guess I just miss my parents sometimes. I know I have to look tough when I’m training in front of Commander Fett and Sergeant Skirata, but…”

“But what?”

“Never mind. You wouldn’t understand.”

With that, Beta ducked into her apartment. Boba heard the lock click and stared blankly at the plain white door. And that’s where Jango found him a couple minutes later.

“Waiting for Beta to play with you?” the bounty hunter asked casually. He tried his best to hide his disapproval of his son’s growing attachment to Beta.

Boba frowned. “I don’t think she’s coming out tonight.”

“Maybe she’s started to realize that soldiers don’t really form attachments outside their squads.”

“She said she missed her parents.”

Jango hesitated before opening up their apartment. “I see. Maybe give her a break tonight to let her rest. You saw how hard she worked today.”

The seven-year-old clone sighed and followed his father into their abode for the night. Jango was distracted the rest of the evening by what Boba had relayed to him. If Beta withdrew from socializing with him and Boba, she might start resisting her extra training with them. The fine balance he’d created between training her for Count Dooku and allowing her to be adopted by Kal was not something to be treated carelessly. Maintaining her comfort with him and Boba was paramount.

~

The next morning, Beta rose at her normal time, stretched, and shoveled breakfast into her mouth. She moved more slowly today, like there were weights on her feet. Even so, she pulled on her training uniform and opened the door to leave.

“Good morning, Beta.”

She jumped. Jango was leaning against the wall waiting for her to emerge. She overcame her surprise and snapped a salute. “Good morning, Commander.”

“Moving a little slow this morning?”

“Yesterday’s training was challenging, but I need to keep building my endurance.”

The bounty hunter nodded understandingly. “I’ll walk you down to the training facility.”

Beta was not one to protest when a superior made decisions like that, so she made sure to maintain her usual brisk pace. It was unusual for anyone to observe her morning routine. “Am I in trouble?” she finally asked.

“No, why would you be?”

“Kal usually provides feedback after sparring exercises and I saw you talking to him, so I thought maybe I had made one mistake too many.”

“You could benefit from some more awareness of your surroundings, but you did fine. I can help you with that, if you want.”

“How so?”

“I know your strengths better than Kal does. There are a couple exercises I had in mind.”

She considered this briefly. “If it will help me be a better Mandalorian, count me in.”

“See me tonight after your training. And Beta?”

“Yes, Commander?”

“You know Boba and I are next door to help you, right?”

“Sure, Commander.”

~

Awareness of my surroundings… That phrase resonated in Beta’s mind throughout the day. When Kal ordered her to suit up and run a new wargame that required her to capture a tower held by Separatists, she focused on memorizing every barrier, laser cannon, and holograph as she completed the exercise. By the third time she started the drill, she was blasting battle droids apart without having to look where she aimed. Skirata watched her from the commander’s tower with a growing sense of pride. Whoever was paying Jango to watch and train Beta had paid the wrong person.

Jango entered the observation room towards the end of the day. “Okay, it’s my turn. Turn off the wargame.”

“She needs to rest,” protested Kal.

“That wasn’t a request, Sergeant. I need to try something with her.”

Reluctantly, Kal lowered all of the barriers and turned off the simulation. Jango took the lift down to the training floor and approached Beta.

“Good job today, Beta. Take off your armor and set it aside.”

Beta obeyed, still panting and sweating. She seemed more energized than exhausted from the grueling exercise.

Fett handed her a blindfold along with the two-handed sparring staff. “Awareness of your surroundings doesn’t just mean using your eyes more. You need to rely more on your ears, your nose, and your instincts. See things without physically seeing them.”

The girl put on the blinder silently. She knew what the exercise would entail, and she was sure she would end up with plenty of bruises. Beta gave her staff a few practice spins before settling in to listen to Jango’s movements. She heard the compression of the mat whenever Jango moved his feet, and it was easier than she expected to hear the whoosh of the staff as it sailed toward her abdomen –

Until it redirected at the last second and rapped the side of her head. Beta stumbled. She knew Fett was stretching her to her limits right now, but even that rationale couldn’t stop the anger rising up in her heart. She snapped back to her ready stance, listening for Jango’s next strike and preparing for his improvisation. Instead of focusing on the physical indicators of the bounty hunter’s attack, she tuned in to his emotional presence. He was calculated and discerning, which she knew, but she also sensed a determination to make her better than Kal could.

_Okay, so that’s how we’re going to play it… Three can play this game. I’m going to be better than both of them._

Jango swung his staff at her body again, but she was prepared this time. Her response to his attack was not perfect: she stopped his pivot to strike her stomach instead of her arm at the last possible second. It threw her off balance again.

“Focus, Beta. There are times when feelings get in the way of doing your job, but in this case, you need to rely on your instincts. Be ready to adjust your attack based on what you know of your opponent. Don’t overthink it, though.”

Jango’s matter-of-fact tone settled her anxiety. Recovering her balance, Beta’s awareness continued to sharpen. The void left by her eyesight enhanced her other senses. Her mind was threatening to make her overthink the scenario. _Feel. Don’t think._ The energy she connected with during training suddenly seemed to augment itself, and while she couldn’t physically see the bounty hunter, she knew exactly where he was.

He finally called a halt to the exercise after several more reps that she fended off successfully. “We’re going to repeat this exercise every night until it’s second nature to you. I think you’ll notice your normal training improving too.”

The girl nodded. “This was easier than doing it without a blindfold… after a while, anyway.”

“Which is why we’re doing this. You’re dismissed now. I think Boba’s waiting for you.”

She saluted him and left the room after re-racking the sparring staff and gathering her armor. Jango made eye contact with Kal, who frowned in return.

~

As the next several days passed, Kal watched the girl gain more and more confidence in her new exercise. He couldn’t deny the results. It did give him pause as to why Jango continued to intervene in her training routine and if it represented a genuine interest in her abilities or simply the money he was being paid to watch over her.

The door to the observation platform opened one day while he was watching her evening training with Jango, and all six of the Nulls entered. Ordo pushed himself to the front of the group and scowled down at Jango and Beta. “Now she’s fighting blind, eh? Why would Fett want to teach her that?”

Skirata raised an eyebrow at him. “You know damn well Corporal Regant is gifted. Fett knows which buttons to push to sharpen those gifts.”

“I think she could use a little more sharpening,” snickered A’den. “Let’s go, boys.”

One by one, they rapelled over the edge of the platform and landed in a circle around Beta. The girl froze when she realized who she was facing and how high the odds were stacked against her. Fett shot an annoyed glance up to the balcony at Kal, knowing the training he’d hijacked from Kal had been taken right back. He thought better of interfering with the Nulls, though; winning or losing would be a learning experience for Beta either way.

“Commander Fett, what should I do?” Beta asked, a clear note of panic in her voice. She grappled with the idea of taking off the blindfold.

“Do what you know how to do,” was the curt response.

If you run, they won’t stop chasing you, Kal had told her once.

She took a deep breath and twirled the staff. She’d been able to sense Jango’s movements without seeing them; the same was true for the Nulls. When Ordo charged her head on, Beta dodged him and sprang into action, throwing blows, leaping, and flipping from clone to clone.

After a couple minutes of avoiding any fists thrown her way, Prudii landed a roundhouse kick to her ribcage. The force of the blow made her fall to her knees. Both Jango and Kal leaned forward in concern, waiting for her response. A’den used this opportunity to tackle and pin her to the mat. The Nulls who were still standing started hooting and chanting, “Beta the Vaar’ika! Beta the Vaar’ika!”

Beta struggled to regain leverage. Her arm was twisted in a submission hold behind her back; her face was pinned to the mat.

“Just yield and admit we’re better than you,” sneered Ordo.

She didn’t respond. Instead, she wrapped her free arm around A’den’s trapping arm and twisted herself out, then snapped her body back onto her feet. Beta had completely lost herself in the flow of battle. Pain did not hinder her. They all surrounded her again and took turns attempting to trip her up. Ordo landed a couple punches to her face, Kom’rk delivered a knee to her gut – but each time they hit her, Beta’s rod would find its way under their guard and they backed away with bruises of their own.

“That’s _enough_!”

The room fell eerily silent when Fett stepped onto the mat in the middle of the circle. Boba was watching from the sidelines with his mouth hanging open. The Nulls, each of them panting, glared at Jango, yet they looked at Beta with a newfound respect. Kal descended from the balcony with a scowl on his face.

Beta took the blindfold off at last. It took a second for her eyes to adjust. Everyone in the room was staring at her. “Am I dismissed, Commander Fett?”

“Yes. You’re dismissed.”

“Thank you, sir.” She set the pole on the rack, turned to Kal, and saluted him and the Nulls. “See you tomorrow, Sergeant.”

Boba watched Beta limp out of the training room. He still couldn’t believe what he had just seen: Beta taking on the Nulls blindfolded and walking away with her life. If only she could be a bounty hunter too… there wouldn’t be a bounty out of their reach….

He rounded the corner by the barracks refreshers and was surprised to see her sitting on the ground against the wall, barely conscious, with her sweaty face the color of ash. “Beta! You okay?”

“Boba…?” Her eyes cracked open. “I just… I felt really weak all of a sudden… and I couldn’t walk, so I… I just decided to take a breather…”

“Uh, ok. You’re probably just tired. Maybe you need some dinner.” The boy lifted her arm up and put it around his shoulders, helping her up. “You were awesome today. I wish Zam could’ve seen that.”

They started moving along the corridor. Beta slowly regained the use of her legs. “I-I don’t know what happened... One minute, I knew what was happening, then I just… blacked out. I was still fighting, but I had no control over what I was doing.”

“Like I said, you’re exhausted. Let’s go eat – I’m starving.”

~

The training room emptied, and Kal was the second-to-last to exit, leaving Jango Fett alone in the room. He paused his retreat when he heard Fett talking to someone faintly.

“...Beta has demonstrated significant potential during the exercises you requested I put her through. She is keeping up with the

_“Good. Everything is proceeding according to plan. She will become a powerful weapon the stronger she becomes. Keep working with her on weapons like the ones she will eventually wield when you turn her over to me.”_

“Yes, Count Dooku.”

_“It is paramount that you hand her over to me before the Jedi find out about the army or she demonstrates too much attachment to the clones. Maintaining her trust is important.”_

Fett hesitated before responding, “I understand.” Beta had already shown signs of pulling away from him and gravitating towards Kal. He was confident he could mend the broken trust, though, especially with Zam’s help. Switching off the comm, he left the room, unaware Skirata had overheard everything.

When Jango arrived in his apartment, he found Boba and Beta playing hologames and sipping Tarine tea. Beta’s face was pale, but she was alert. His son kept glancing nervously at her like he expected her to pass out. “How are you feeling after the training, Beta?” he asked.

“Fine, sir. A little winded, but I’ll recover.”

“Quite impressive work today. We’ll be switching the weapons up moving forward.”

“And will the Nulls be interrupting again?”

“Can’t say for sure. Possibly.”

“Well, that’s rude.” Beta’s lapse in attention cost her a loss in the hologame round. She threw a pillow at Boba’s face in retaliation. He stuck his tongue out at her.

The girl looked excitedly at Jango’s exasperated face. “Hey, do you think Zam could watch me train again? She always gives good feedback.”

“Better than me? Who’s the rude one now?”

“I’m sorry, I just meant –”

“I’m kidding. I know what you meant. I’ll call her over sometime.”

“Thanks, Commander.” She pulled herself off the lounge chair and dropped the controller. “I need to hit the showers. I’ll be back.”

“Hurry!” Boba called. “Don’t fall asleep while you’re over there.” As soon as she was gone, he turned to his father. “Why don’t you teach me like how you teach Beta? I want to be able to fight like she does.”

Jango raised his eyebrow at Beta. “You will have very different paths in life, hence the different training.”

“Different how?”

“Whatever war the clones will be fighting in, she’ll be on the front lines. She may live, she may die. You won’t be in the war. You’ll be bearing the Fett name in the bounty hunting profession. And because you have my face, I’ll live an extra long time – through you.”

Boba nodded slowly. “Does she know she might die in the war?”

The elder Fett paused. “No, I don’t know if it has. It may not cross her mind for a very long time, when she’s placed in a very dangerous situation. And it’s my job to make sure she doesn’t think about it until she’s ready.”


	3. Crossroad

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Beta's coming-of-age in the Mandalorian culture presents Jango with new challenges in his assignment, and with even more people showing interest in Beta's abilities, he must make some drastic decisions to fulfill his obligations.

_22 BBY_

~

Several dark figures slipped into Beta’s apartment, where the teenager was sleeping soundly the night of her thirteenth birthday. She sensed the intruders, however, and woke up just before the leader put his hand over her mouth. A vibroblade was in her hand in a split-second, but she found several blaster pistols aimed at her face.

“Let’s not get messy, Regant,” Ordo Skirata hissed. “It’s trial day.”

Beta was still groggy, but trial day sharpened her senses. Today was the day she would undergo the _verd’goten_ , which was the trial that Mandalorian youths were faced with to become adults in the Mandalorian culture. She rose from her bed and dressed hurriedly. 

She could only imagine how furious Jango Fett would be if he found out Kal Skirata was testing her this way. Fett had trained her plenty, but Kal had taken over her commando training in the clone army to prepare her for the _verd’goten_ without Jango suspecting anything amiss.

The six Nulls led the way out of her apartment, which was next door to the Fetts’, and through the corridors of the training center. Their rapid growth had aged them to roughly twenty years of age, and they resembled a young adult version of Jango Fett. Beta felt like a dwarf in stature compared to the Nulls, and keeping her composure was key to maintaining her respect among the clones.

Her heart was beating rapidly during the march. What if she failed? What if she couldn’t earn her place in Clan Skirata? To Beta, success was the only option that faced her.

Kal greeted them when they arrived in the obstacle course room. “Well, Commander Regant, you’ve certainly come a long way from the little shab of a teacher’s pet.”

“Thanks to your training, Sergeant.”

“We’ll see if you’ll be thanking me after today. Should you succeed, you will be considered an adult Mandalorian and held to the creed.”

“I accept the challenge.”

“Very good.”

And so the exercises commenced: marksmanship, martial arts, weapons familiarity, and dexterity being the main drills that Beta was put through. For the hand-to-hand combat evaluations, Beta was put toe-to-toe with Prudii and Jaing Skirata in succession. She could feel an energy pulsing through her that guided her every action, giving her the level-headedness she needed to keep pushing forward.

_Dodge one blow, jump the leg sweep, throw an uppercut, turn a hands-free cartwheel, flip over Prudii’s head, kick the back of his knees in –_

“Halt!” 

That one word brought her to a standstill. Beta finally had the opportunity to take several painstaking breaths and let the flow of the battle dissipate. Prudii and Jaing were both nursing bruises on their shins and arms. Seeing those, Beta realized she herself had accumulated a number of dark purple blotches all over her body. 

Kal looked her over intensely. “You’ve done me proud today, Commander Regant. What are the four Canons of Honor?”

“Strength is life, for the strong have the right to rule. Honor is life, for with no honor, one may as well be dead. Loyalty is life, for without one’s clan, one has no purpose. Death is life, for one should die as they have lived.”

He nodded intensely. "Remember those as long as you live. I’m proud to call you my fellow Mandalorian. While you may not be able to bear the name of Clan Skirata or wear our armor publicly, know that you’re one of us, and you’ll always be one of us.”

The Nulls lined up along the edges of the training mat and saluted her. They broke formation and came up to give her high-fives.

“You’ll always be a little shab to me,” A’den teased with a playful nudge in the ribs.

“Right back atcha,” countered Beta. “I’m still older than you.” 

They continued to banter as they filtered out of the sparring room. Beta looked over her shoulder in time to see Kal nod respectfully at her. She couldn’t help but wonder what weight this acceptance would have in her future, if any at all.

~

While she was eating breakfast with her usual clone companions that morning, Rex noticed she was moving a little slower than usual.

“Training finally catching up with you, Beta?”

“Maybe a touch, but I can still take you down any day.” She winced noticeably while she said those words. 

“Any day besides today, perhaps,” said Cody, walking up behind her and poking her in the ribs. She flinched immediately. “Did Commander Fett give you an extra thrashing last night?”

“Something like that.” Her sleeve slid down her arm while she was spooning porridge into her mouth, and Cord grabbed her arm before she could cover it up.

“Where’d you get these bruises?” he demanded. “Did the Nulls jump you again?”

“Not exactly,” lied Beta heatedly. “Sergeant Skirata pulled me for an extra training session. He said I had some skills I needed to fine-tune.”

“What? I saw you go to your quarters last night like the rest of us. When exactly did this _training_ take place?”

“Late.”

“How late?”

“I wasn’t exactly looking at the clock.”

“Beta.” Cord’s tone increased in severity. _“We_ are your unit. Not the Nulls.”

“I was following orders, Cord. Skirata ordered me to come back to the training center to practice with the Nulls. Would you have disobeyed a direct order?”

She felt Jango Fett approaching and added extra intensity behind her voice, not breaking eye-contact with Cord. “The training is none of your concern.”

To her surprise, he blinked blankly and nodded. “The training is none of my concern,” he repeated, and sat back down at the table robotically.

“Commander Regant,” Fett greeted sternly. “A word, please.”

~

The teenager followed Jango to the command center reluctantly. She could feel Cord, Cody, and Rex all watching her leave. Cord still seemed confused about why he had relented from an argument so easily. She did her best to keep her poise and her chin up.

When they arrived in Jango’s barely used office, she was surprised to see Kal Skirata waiting. Fett shut the door behind him with a snap. “Anyone care to explain why Taun We caught the Nulls pulling Commander Regant from her apartment at blaster-point in the middle of the night?” Jango said with barely contained rage.

“She came of age today, Fett,” said Kal. “You know what that means for a Mandalorian.”

“She is _not_ a Mandalorian.”

“Well, she is _not_ a clone, either. What is she supposed to be if the army ever gets called up into action? A boots-on-the-ground grunt? No, she needs to be something more when she grows up.”

“And Lord Tyranus gave that responsibility to _me.”_

“And _you_ hired _me_.”

Jango drew himself up to Kal, his face inches from the sergeant’s. “I can undo that.”

“And throw away what I’ve been able to accomplish? I’ve given you the best six clones in the army, _and_ an adolescent Mandalorian with no accelerated growth that robs her of a full life.”

Beta stood stock-still, her eyes flicking back and forth between Jango and Kal. For the first time, it occurred to her that her destiny was being fought over by other people, and she hadn’t been able to assert control over her future. What if she didn’t want to be a Mandalorian or a soldier? What if she wanted to be a bounty hunter or a smuggler? She had read stories about those lifestyles and they seemed exciting and completely different than what she knew.

Jango’s furious glare switched to Beta’s bemused expression. “And you just went along with this, Beta? You went through with the trial?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Well? Did you pass?”

Beta straightened her posture and looked directly into his eyes. “Yes, sir, I did.”

Skirata’s tone was one of profound accomplishment when he emphasized, “I told you – she is a Mandalorian.”

Looking down at his feet, Fett nodded somberly. “Since you breached protocol, Commander Regant, I’m suspending you for a week. You’ll be confined to the living quarters in Tipoca City.”

Beta’s jaw dropped at the unfairness of the situation. Skirata frowned, but he didn’t come to her defense.

“Do you have a problem with my verdict?” said Jango sternly.

“No, _sir.”_

“You’re dismissed to your quarters, then.”

The two bounty hunters watched her leave. Her normally rigid posture was diminished somewhat.

“What are you going to do with her, Jango?” asked Kal. “That suspension was uncalled for and you know it.”

“She needs a break from the clones’ regimen. I’m going out on an assignment, and I think she should keep my son company.”

“Seriously? You’re reassigning her to babysitting duty?”

“You can leave now, Sergeant. The door is right there.”

When he was finally alone, Fett began to mull over what had happened between the girl and Skirata. Beta had succeeded in the _verd’goten_ trial, which meant she was, indeed, a full-fledged Mandalorian adult. Dooku had been very clear that Jango had to keep an eye on her, training her along the way. This divergence created problems for him, unless he could spin it the right way.

~

The walk back to her apartment was one of the longest, most agonizing treks Beta had ever had to make. Rage was simmering just beneath a barely composed expression, along with fear and hurt. The more she thought about it, the harder it was to fight back the hot tears that were making her eyes swim. Even worse were the pairs of Kaminoan eyes that followed her retreating back.

_What will my unit think? Am I going to be able to catch up with my training after my suspension? Why didn’t Sergeant Skirata say anything? Why did Jango punish me and not him?_

She blindly pushed open the door to her quarters and crawled into her bed, pulling the covers over her head. She could finally let the tears crawl down her face. The scene played over and over in her head: the heated exchange between Jango and Kal, the unjust sentence, and how alone she suddenly felt. Her unit had always been there to support her; they were her family. Now that she was isolated from them, it felt like she had a gaping hole that couldn’t be filled.

Beta took a deep, shaky breath, sat up in her bed, and wiped her eyes. She then closed her eyes and reached out in the energy that was constantly pulsing through her. Here, in this bottomless river, she could find herself. 

_She saw a bright light on the horizon, but a dark cloud quickly swooped in and blocked it, leaving behind a sea of… gray. It was neither light nor dark. Like the waves on Kamino, the grayness tumbled over itself toward her, and Beta couldn’t run. She could only stand there and let it envelop her. Instead of drowning in the flood, though, she felt calm. Balanced. There was no light or dark anymore. A limitless well of power flowed through her. She knew, somehow, that the light and the dark were at war with each other, constantly trying to gain ground - but that wasn’t her fight…_

Her apartment doorbell buzzed, snapping Beta back to reality. She looked around in astonishment when she realized her table, chair, bed, and dishes were floating several inches off of the ground. 

_What in the hell…_

Her surprise caused the furniture to fall back to the ground with a clatter. The doorbell rang more insistently, with two tones in succession. Beta stumbled over to the door and slid it open to find Boba waiting. 

“Hey, Dad told me what happened,” the ten-year-old said, walking past her to sit at the recently replaced chair. “You okay?”

“No. I think I’m gonna go crazy with nothing to do for a week - wait, why are you trying not to smile?”

“Because you have _nothing to do_ for a _week._ And Zam’s in town helping Dad get ready for a new mission. And they’re not letting me go with them. So I’m going to have _nothing to do_ for a few days. Just like you.”

“Er - wait a minute. You’re saying you want me to hang out with you for a few days?”

“Yep.”

“And this has _nothing_ to do with me just getting a suspension? Which, by the way, was very traumatic.”

“Sure.”

The doorbell rang again. This time, it was Zam at the door.

“Hey, kiddo. Want to get in some shooting practice today?”

“I thought I was restricted to the living quarters…”

“C’mon, kid. You really think Jango and I practice in the clone facilities? We’ve got our own private room. The toys are more fun, too.”

It began to dawn on Beta that perhaps her suspension wasn’t a punishment at all. Maybe it was Jango’s twisted way of congratulating her for passing the _verd’goten._ Granted, it had left her feeling confused and wondering if he hated her, but Jango never did anything without a good reason.

“From what I hear, you’re a Mandalorian now,” continued Zam. “You need to keep training like one. Can’t always do that when you’re training with the clones.”

“Alright, I think I can deal with my suspension if this is what it means,” said Beta slowly.

~

Stepping into Zam and Jango’s training room made Beta feel like she had leveled up in a weird sort of hologame. Jango looked more contemplative when he set up the target practice computer for her to fire stun bolts at. He didn’t smile when she didn’t miss a single target, only watched her form. 

“What’s on your mind, bounty hunter?” Zam asked Jango while they watched Beta and Boba blast apart holograms of battle droids with Jango’s Westar-34 blaster pistols. They were competing with each other to see how creative they could get in their shooting and still hit the targets. 

“I’m thinking Dooku needs to come collect her soon. Before the war starts. She may get pulled onto the wrong side if he waits too long. After this contract, I’ll contact him and let him know.”

“Haven’t you ever thought about trying to keep her around longer? She could be useful.”

Fett looked at the way that Beta interacted with Boba and frowned. “I don’t think it would be good for Boba if either of them find out what she is. He needs to learn he only has allies and enemies, not friends.”

“And how does giving Beta a suspension so she can keep him company help your case?” 

“She needed separation from the army.”

The Clawdite rolled her eyes. “What if the war starts before Dooku comes and gets her? What if the Jedi cut her loose?”

“That’s my point, Zam. She’ll make a damn good bounty hunter.”

“I see. You’re working on a contingency plan for her. Won’t Skirata have dibs on her?”

“He wants her to be able to choose her own life. If Dooku’s plan for her doesn’t pan out and the Jedi don’t see a use for her, I want the same for her too.”

“Those are some big _ifs_. Still, she’d be a dangerous bounty hunter. I could see her giving you a run for your money.”

“Same. I still have to plan on Dooku collecting her, though.”

The training sequence ended with both Beta and Boba panting, sweating, and smiling. 

“I like these blasters better than the clones’,” said Beta breathlessly. “Not as clunky.”

“That’s why Dad’s the best bounty hunter in the galaxy!” Boba responded.

“No offense taken, Boba…” teased Zam. 

“Well,” he said, recovering quickly, “the best bounty hunters have the best partners.”

The teenage girl handed the blaster back to Jango. He gave her a thoughtful stare before reaching into his pocket and pulling out a silver cylindrical tool. 

“I think it’s time to upgrade your sparring sword,” he explained. “Let’s see if you’ve learned anything.”

Beta examined the plain cylinder with interest. It had a dark aura to it, reminiscent of the dark smoke she had seen in her dream. “What is it?”

“It’s called a lightsaber. It can cut through most substances… except, of course, for _beskar_ armor. It’s impervious to lightsabers.”

“Huh.” Beta took the weapon from Jango and weighed it. “So is this a standard Mandalorian weapon?”

“No, definitely not. But Mandalorians need to be proficient in all types of weaponry, even the ones that are foreign to them. Your skill sets seem to match well with this sort of weaponry. Give it a try today, and we’ll practice more when I get back.”

Zam narrowed her eyes at Jango. She knew what this weapon meant: he really was going to hand her over to Dooku soon.

Not suspecting anything, Beta turned on the weapon and waved it in front of her face. It had a gleaming red glow, one that made her feel uneasy. Still, it was like the weapon was whispering to her, connecting to the power she could sense within her. 

“Run sequence,” she ordered the training system.

One by one, battle droids appeared in holographic form. Beta used the moves that Fett had taught her. Instead of a heavy rod, though, the lightsaber was light and swift in her hands. The flow of battle encompassed her, making her draw more and more on her inner strength. As she leapt from droid to droid, three pairs of eyes watched from the sidelines: Zam, who was impressed; Jango, who looked worried; and Boba, who stared in awe.

The teenager switched off the lightsaber when she was done and handed it back to Jango. “Thank you, Commander. I don’t know if this weapon is for me, though.”

“What do you mean?” he asked, perplexed.

“The type of weapon is cool and all, but this one just doesn’t feel right.”

“Weapons don’t always feel right the first time.”

She shrugged. “Thank you for the training. I think I need to stretch out after all of this exercise.”

~

When Beta woke up at 0400 hours, she started pulling on her training uniform – only to stop in the middle of doing so. A hole suddenly seemed to reappear in her soul. It had disappeared temporarily yesterday when she had trained with Boba, Zam, and Jango, but it returned in full force. She flopped back onto her bed and stared at the ceiling.

This was the first time she’d experienced multiple days off in a row. No agenda, no rigid schedule, the ability to choose what she wanted to do… 

And she went back to sleep again, only to awake to the sound of her doorbell. 

_What the hell… who is visiting me? No one ever does._

Beta stumbled to the door with her eyes half-open, expecting it to be Boba. Instead, it was Ordo Skirata. She was immediately wide-awake and her posture straightened defensively.

“Good morning, Commander,” he greeted her. “Noticed you weren’t in the training center this morning.”

“Yeah, our little midnight excursion didn’t go over well with Commander Fett. I was suspended for a week.”

“So he’s making you stay up here?”

“Where else do I have to go?”

“That’s a good question. A better question would be, where are you going to go if you don’t have an army to go back to?”

“Huh?”

Ordo looked around her room to make sure they were alone. “Look, Beta. Do you really think the clone army is going to be around forever? We were made for a purpose. We were made to be at war. _Kal’buir_ wanted us to have a full life even after a war, but you’re the only one who has that chance.”

“The army is all I know, though,” replied Beta softly.

“Start knowing other things, then.”

The doorbell buzzed again. Beta rolled her eyes to the ceiling before shuffling to the door and opening it to find Boba waiting.

“Morning. I’m bored. Can we play some hologames?”

“Well, well, well, if it isn’t Jango Fett’s quote-on-quote _son,”_ sneered Ordo. 

“What’s _he_ doing here?” the ten-year-old demanded. “I didn’t think Nulls were allowed up here.”

“Kal sent me up to check on her. We’re practically brother and sister, after all.”

Despite the tension in the room, Beta gained a warm familial feeling towards Ordo. 

“I don’t think Dad likes Beta being part of his _clan,”_ Boba said with a hint of jealousy. 

“Well, your dad can take it up with _Kal’buir_ the old-fashioned way.”

“Dad could take down Kal any day of the week.”

Before Beta knew what was happening, Ordo had grabbed Boba in a headlock and dragged him to the refresher, hissing something about a “little jerk.” Beta leapt into the bathroom as quickly as she could, but the refresher had already gone one cycle with Boba’s head inside the dome.

“Let him _go_ , Ordo! Pick on someone your own size!”

Disgusted, the older clone pulled Boba’s head out. “Tell your boyfriend he needs to watch what he says about _Kal’buir._ ”

Beta and Boba looked at each other when what Ordo had said sunk in. 

_“Ewwwww!”_ they both shrieked. 

“Well, make sure he stays out of our way. I’m outta here.”

Ordo mussed Beta’s short, messy hair as he stalked out of the apartment. Boba, hair still sopping wet, watched him go with narrowed eyes. 

“Why do you hang out with those jerks anyway?” grumbled Boba. “Dad says they’re dangerous.”

“Sergeant Skirata adopted me because he knew I needed a family that would last beyond a war.”

“But what about me?”

“I don’t think your dad wants us to be friends like that. He always tells me that I shouldn’t have friends – only allies and enemies.”

“He tells me the same thing.”

The pair sighed simultaneously. 

“So, what’s your highest score in _Droidekas Ultimate_ and how can I beat it?” Beta asked to break the ice. 

“In your dreams!” 

~

The next two days blurred together. Beta found herself suddenly able to make her own schedule, and one of her favorite parts was simply sitting on her bed with her eyes closed, feeling the ebb and flow of an energy that seemed to make itself known to her more and more. It gave her focus when she and Boba practiced in Zam and Jango’s training room, even while Boba’s dark curly hair and mischievous smile tried to distract her…

Thoughts like these made Beta wonder who she was becoming. She had grown up with thousands of clones who had all looked like Boba when they were five years old. Just like the rest of the clones, he would grow up to look like Jango. He was already adopting his father’s resting stone-cold expression, and he’d soon be just as cynical and stern in mannerisms, too. But the moments when they were alone and joking together made her stomach twist itself into a knot when she remembered them.

The time away from her army regimen also allowed her to pick up a new hobby: recreational reading. In her spare time, she read about the different parts of the galaxy, from the Outer Rim to the Core Worlds. The Outer Rim sounded thrilling with its seemingly lawless atmosphere. It had never really occurred to her until now that she may have lived somewhere before Kamino. Maybe she had family on another planet somewhere, or a cultural identity she had yet to discover.

The fourth full day of her suspension found Beta and Boba lounging in the Fetts’ living room reading books quietly. The door slid open and Jango entered in his full Mandalorian armor, minus the helmet. His face was grimmer than usual.

“You’re home!” Boba said excitedly. He looked behind Jango expectantly, but no one else had come in. “Where’s Zam?”

“She’s not coming back.”

That was all Jango said about the matter, but it was enough. It meant Zam had been killed by someone else, or Jango had killed her himself to avoid being identified.

“But I've got a joke to tell her,” pouted Boba.

“I’m sorry. Why don’t you tell Beta?”

“Well, she’s the one who told me the joke.”

Fett rolled his eyes. “I’ll be in my room if you need me.”

He closed the door to his room. Silence reigned in the apartment. Boba sat on the couch, ignoring the book in his hand, until he got up and shut himself in his own room. Beta took that as her cue to leave. 

Zam. Dead. It didn’t seem possible. The female bounty hunter who was always so kind and supportive to Beta would never be around again.

~

She did not see Jango or Boba until the next day, when their paths crossed around midday as she went to the library to return some books. Both were holding laser-equipped fishing spears.

“Hey, Beta,” Boba greeted, a little less cheerfully than usual.

“Afternoon,” she replied, then gave Jango a salute. “Commander Fett, sir.”

“Good afternoon, Beta. Would you like to join us? We can skip training today.”

“Yes, sir. I’ll meet you on the platform; I have to finish an errand first.”

“Hurry up, then,” Boba teased.

With a little more spring in her step, Beta exchanged her books in the library for two more: one on blaster rifles and one on mystic religions. She deposited them in her room, grabbed her poncho, and trotted outside to meet Jango and Boba. 

Being around Boba had been easier when Jango was gone. Now, she felt like he was watching the two of them interact with a more scrutinizing gaze than usual. She tried to ignore it as much as possible. 

“Beta, do you know why your parents brought you to Kamino?” Fett asked her suddenly while she was waiting for a turn with the fishing spear.

“No, and Taun We told me not to ask.”

“Your parents were running.”

“Running from what?”

“People who wanted to take you away from your parents.”

“What? Why? Why me? And who?”

“People who believe you have the Force.”

Beta looked incredulously at Jango. “What is that, like a magical power or something? Why would they think that?”

Boba glanced over at the two of them at the words “magical power,” his interest piqued.

“They’re called the Jedi and the Sith. They both worship the Force, and they both wanted to train you. Your parents ran while they could. They wanted to protect you.”

“I can take care of myself. Even if I did have _the Force_ or whatever it’s called, I think I would’ve shown some signs.”

“You have.”

 _“What?_ Don’t you think I would’ve realized this by now?”

“You can fight at the level of grown men, and you bested all of the Nulls single-handedly.”

“But that’s just because you and Kal and the other instructors trained me to be the best. I couldn’t do what I can without being trained like that.” 

“I know. I’m not going to argue with you about something I don’t know much about, but anyone who trains you can’t disagree that you’re gifted. And I think you should be suspended more often.”

The teenager blinked in surprise. “Wait, what? But my unit –”

“They’re soldiers who will fight in a war with or without you. There won’t be a place for you among the foot soldiers. What do you think is going to happen – you’re going to put on clone armor and shoot down battle droids? You’re a little short for a clone.”

Looking at her feet ashamedly, Beta hesitated before responding. “No, I don’t really know what I was expecting. But why do I need to be suspended more?”

Fett folded his arms. Boba had stopped pretending not to listen and was openly staring back and forth between the two of them. “I need a new bounty hunting partner now that Zam’s gone. I’ve trained you well enough that I think you’ll do just fine while I find a more permanent partner.” Even as he said those words, Jango knew the possibility of this happening before Dooku claimed her was slim, not to mention Kal would have some words for him.

Both Beta’s and Boba’s jaws dropped. Beta quickly shut hers to appear more professional. 

“I – I don’t know what to say, sir.”

“You don’t have to say anything, because it’s non-negotiable. It’ll also teach you to be more independent and self-sufficient.”

There seemed to be a dull roaring sound in Beta’s ears. “What will Sergeant Skirata think?” 

“What does it matter?” Jango said with an edge to his voice. “If you’re suspended, he can’t train you. And his duties will require him to stay here.”

“Yeah, what Dad said,” Boba chimed in. “And _we_ can train together!”

Jango shot his son a cautionary glare, which was not unnoticed by Beta. Deep down, she was excited by the prospect of going off-planet, but she decided to appear more resigned to her fate. 

“I think this sounds like a reasonable plan. When is our first mission?”

“Not for a while. You need to get outfitted properly first.”

“Okay.” There was a dull rushing sound in her ears from the adrenaline that was triggered by the discussion. She needed time to process this strange turn of events. “Permission to be excused?”

“Wait, you’re not going to stay outside?” pouted Boba. “We only just started.”

“I have to take care of a few things inside,” she lied.

~ 

In truth, she was going to sit on her bed and be still for an undetermined amount of time. Her new future assignment had shaken who she thought she was going to grow up to be. Instead of a structured lifestyle of following orders, she suddenly pictured herself as a scrappy bounty hunter with assassin-like training. She again started dreaming about flying off with the Fetts in _Slave I_ during the trek back to her apartment.

After she had gotten her fill of sitting quietly and meditating on her bed, Beta delved into the book on mystic religions in the galaxy. The first chapter happened to be about the Force, the mysterious power she was supposed to have. The more she read about, the more frightened she became.

If she had the Force – or so the book told her – she had powers beyond enhanced physical agility. The Force could allow her to move objects with her mind, influence people’s decisions, enhance her ability to perceive….

A cold sweat broke out on her forehead and palms. Jango was right; she _had_ shown signs of having the Force. Her argument with Cord a few days prior when he had relented prematurely… her ability to almost predict opponents’ movements in combat… her furniture levitating several inches off of the ground when she woke up from all-too-real-dreams…

Eventually, she drifted off to sleep, only the sound of the rain drops echoing through her quiet apartment. 

_Beta was standing in a familiar cockpit - her parents’ cockpit, she realized. On the floor sat her three-year-old self, and it was clear the child was bawling. Instead of looking sympathetic or annoyed, though, their faces were petrified. Like they were_ scared _of Beta. The scene was enveloped in a ball of flame –_

_Bzzzzzzz. Bzzzzzzzz. Bzzzzzzzzzzzzz._

She woke up drenched in a cold sweat. Yet again, someone was ringing her door bell. Beta groaned while she shuffled over to open the door.

“Wow, you look like shab, Beta.”

“Thanks, Boba.”

“You’re welcome. Also, your hair is sticking up in the back more than usual. And I think it’s starting to cover your ears.”

“Tell me you didn’t just come here to criticize how I look outside of the army.”

“No, actually. There’s a new ship on the landing pads. Wanted to see if you could come check it out with me.”

“Now? Can we wait until morning?”

“It might be gone by then.”

“Fair point. Let me get my boots.”

~

The pair trotted to the landing pads to stare into the wind and rain at the small red starship on the platform. Embedded in the hull was a matching astromech droid. Beta and Boba had a hushed argument about what type of starcraft it was. This disagreement resulted in a playful push from Boba to Beta. She pretended to be horrified and slapped him across the face. Before long, they were grappling and tumbling on the hallway floor until Beta finally pinned Boba. He slapped the ground desperately in surrender.

“Show-off,” he grunted, standing up and straightening his tunic.

“Compromise? Let’s go back to your apartment and look it up.”

_“Fine.”_

They had not been in Boba’s sitting area for long when the doorbell rang. Beta looked up from the database, not because she was watching Boba answer the door, but because she felt… _something_ . Something she had not felt since the fateful night she had crash-landed on Kamino. And that _something_ felt her too. 

Her heart began hammering inside her chest as whatever _it_ was prodded her subconscious questioningly. It was like she was a piece of contraband that was hidden for a reason, but stumbled upon unexpectedly. Beta knew deep down that she was connecting with this _thing_ through whatever Force power she supposedly had, and she steeled herself to push whatever it was away.

“Boba, is your father home?” Taun We’s voice echoed from far away.

“Yep.”

“May we see him?”

“Sure.”

A pause, then footsteps came nearer. 

“Dad, Taun We’s here!” called Boba.

Beta could tell he was guarded, just like her. The reason why became apparent when he led Taun We and a human male stranger in plain robes into the living room. She made eye contact with the stranger – and her heart seemed to stop mid-beat.

_A Jedi._

Everything added up now. This was what – or rather, _who_ – Beta had been feeling. If she had been sensing the Jedi’s presence, she must have the Force. She could also tell he had noticed her presence by the way his eyes narrowed at her. It wasn’t an antagonistic glance, simply genuine surprise and curiosity. 

“Beta, why don’t you return to your apartment?” Taun We half-suggested, half-ordered. “Master Kenobi is here to discuss business with Jango.”

Jango entered the room, casually rolling up his sleeves. He gave Beta a calculating look out of the corner of his eye as she left the apartment, which she returned as innocently as possible. The Jedi – _Master Kenobi_ , Taun We called him – followed her with his eyes and Force perception while she walked out. 

~

Beta collapsed against her door inside her apartment as soon as it slid shut. This Force, whatever it was, felt like it was electrifying her insides ever since she had made the connection with the Jedi. 

_Relax. What if he can still feel you?_

Another, darker, part of her seemed to respond, _What if you can still feel_ him?

She started pushing the boundaries of what she was conscious of: a pulsing sensation that ebbed and flowed like a distorted frequency. She used this connection to reach out and gauge what was happening in the next apartment over. Jango and Boba both had guarded auras; Taun We remained neutral; and the Jedi remained suspicious and unconvinced of Jango’s words.

The meeting ended quickly, and Taun We and the Jedi left the Fetts’ apartment. Not more than five seconds later, Beta’s doorbell rang for what felt like the millionth time that week. She opened it with the same caution Boba had exercised and found Taun We and the Jedi standing outside.

“Hello, Beta. May we speak with you a moment?” asked Taun We.

“Yes, of course,” Beta responded. “What can I do for you?”

“It’s actually what you can do for _me_ ,” Kenobi interjected as Beta led them inside. “I’m Obi-Wan Kenobi, and I’m here on behalf of the Jedi Council inspecting the clone army. I was surprised to see another non-clone human here on Kamino, let alone one with such a strong Force presence. So you could say I’m a little curious as to who you are.” His posture was open; his expression aloof, yet focused.

“Commander Beta Regant of the 501st Legion, reporting for duty,” Beta said dutifully, saluting him. Her heart was pounding inside her chest. 

“A commander?” Kenobi sounded genuinely surprised. “Forgive me, but I thought the army was made up of Jango Fett’s clones. Don’t they age twice as fast as you?”

“You could say I’ve more than proven myself adept at keeping up with the training. Maybe this Force I supposedly have helps keep me in shape. Jango can tell you what I’m capable of.”

“So do you know about his bounty hunting missions?”

Beta worked hard to keep her tone even. “No. I train almost every day.”

“Except for today?”

“I… was suspended. For my extracurricular activities.”

“Would those involve bounty hunting?”

 _“No._ Listen, sir –”

“Master Kenobi is fine.”

“Master Kenobi. My apologies. I don’t ask Commander Fett about his job. I only ask him how to do mine better.”

Kenobi gave her a hint of a smile. “And does the Force help you do your job better?”

“It’s… it’s always been there,” replied Beta with a pensive expression. “I wasn’t made aware of it until recently, when Commander Fett told me. Now that I know what it is, I… it keeps growing. Like the knowledge just augmented the Force power.”

The Jedi’s eyebrows twitched upward. Beta could tell he found the information intriguing. “I see.”

Beta paused before asking, “So is it finally happening? Is the army being called up?”

“I don’t know of any war for you to fight in at the moment. Why would there be?”

“I’m not sure, but the clones were created for a reason, weren’t they?”

“Or just as a precaution.” Kenobi frowned, clearly taking what she said into consideration, then resumed his pleasant demeanor. “Well, I look forward to seeing you in action with the clone army one day.”

“And I’ll be ready when the day comes.”

The two inclined their heads toward each other slightly in farewell. The teenager had the feeling she would be seeing him again soon.

~

_Bzzzzzz. Bzzzzzz. Bzzzzzz._

“For kriff’s sake, can’t I just be left alone for a minute?” she moaned audibly.

Opening the door for what seemed like the hundredth time that day, she found Kal outside. He seemed more on edge than usual.

“I saw the Jedi starfighter,” he said without a greeting. “I needed to make sure you didn’t leave with him.”

“Nope. Still here. Why would I leave with a total stranger? Better yet, why would a total stranger want to take me with him?”

“Jedi specialty – taking kids away from their homes. I told you before, I’ll tell you again. The list of people keeping tabs on you keeps growing. You need to figure out who _you_ are, before you just become the product of manipulation.”

“So why are you any different from the other people who are watching me?”

“Because I don’t already have an endgame in mind for you. Your future should be up to you.” Skirata reached into his pocket and pulled out a hollow metal cylinder. “Being part of my clan could be useful to you someday. Show the medallion I gave you years ago only to people you trust. As for the cylinder… it’s forged from beskar iron. I know what kind of weapons Jango is teaching you to use, and you might need to make your own someday.”

“Yes, _Kal’buir.”_ Beta took the cylinder and studied it with awestruck eyes. The cylinder did not weigh as much as she expected. She slipped it into one of her belt pouches and looked up at him with newfound respect and admiration. “Everything’s about to change, isn’t it?”

“Circumstances change, Commander. You can adapt, but don’t change who you are… once you figure that out, of course.”

There was a sudden pounding on the door, followed by Jango’s demanding voice. “Open up, Beta. _Now.”_

The sergeant opened the door for her with his posture on guard. Jango Fett, in his full suit of Mandalorian armor, did not wait for an invitation. He pushed past Skirata, grabbed Beta by the tunic, and shoved her against the wall. 

“I hope you didn’t tell the Jedi anything,” he said menacingly, “for your sake.”

Caught off-balance, Beta fixed the bounty hunter’s T-visor with a glare as steely as his armor. “I didn’t tell them anything about you, I swear.”

“We’ll find out soon enough. Pack your things. Boba and I are leaving, and we’re taking you with us.”

“Where are you taking her?” demanded Kal.

“Away. I suggest you stay out of this. I don’t care if you think she’s part of your little clan.” 

Skirata assumed an intimidating posture. “I know why you’re doing this, but it isn’t for the right reasons. She’s safer here.”

“I know she is. But I don’t have a choice here.” Fett released his grip on her tunic to allow her to stuff some clothes hurriedly into a bag. He grabbed her raincoat and threw it at her when she was finished.

“Sergeant, I –” Beta started to say, expecting him to put his foot down. 

“Remember what I told you, and you’ll be fine. Now go,” ordered Kal. “There’s nothing I can do right now.”

“But –”

_“Go.”_

With that, Jango pulled her out of the only home she had known for the last ten years, not giving her the chance to look back. 

~

“What were you thinking, Beta? Talking to a Jedi?” Boba snapped as he fell into stride beside the pair. He was lugging two bags and dragging a box behind them. 

“She wouldn’t have been able to stop him talking to her,” said Jango. Even his matter-of-fact voice sounded sinister. “If Beta had refused, the Jedi would have arrested her and taken her to Coruscant… and that would’ve been _very_ inconvenient.”

When they made it to the landing platform where _Slave I_ waited for them, Beta and Boba hauled the cargo on board. A tingling sensation in Beta’s soaked fingertips made her head turn to see Obi-Wan Kenobi sprinting outside through the doors. Boba saw him too and shouted at his father to warn him.

_“Dad, look!”_

Jango’s head swiveled around and sprang into action. “Get on board!” he ordered as he whipped out his blasters and fired at the Jedi.

Beta caught a glimpse of Kenobi drawing a lightsaber and deflecting the shots before Boba yanked her inside the ship. “I’m gonna blast that Jedi to oblivion!” he exclaimed. He fired up the engines of the starship, steering it around and shooting the laser cannons at the Jedi.

Taking what she believed was the only opportunity to do so, Beta deposited herself in the copilot’s seat. She ran her hands over the console in wonder. This was the first time she had been allowed inside the legendary starship.

“Don’t touch anything,” ordered Boba, to which Beta responded with an eye-roll.

Both he and Beta peaked their heads over the edge of the windshield so they could watch the conflict below. Jango and Obi-Wan were engaged in hand-to-hand combat. The Jedi’s hands were bound by the whipcord from Jango’s gauntlet, and realized too late that kicking the bounty hunter in the head and sending him flying over the edge of the platform would, in fact, take him along for the ride.

Instead of pounding on the glass like Boba, Beta sat in the copilot’s chair and closed her eyes. She reached out her mind like she normally did in her bedroom and sensed the presence and emotions of both Jango and the Jedi. 

“Your dad’s gonna be fine,” she said to calm her friend. “You’ll see.”

“How do you know?” said Boba. 

“The Force can be kinda useful when you get the hang of it.”

“So you just find out about it, and suddenly you’re an expert?”

Beta responded with a dirty look. The very next second, a thrill of fear shot through the Force from the Jedi at the same time that Jango felt a surge of relief. Kenobi’s presence didn’t die out, so Beta knew he was alive; for how much longer, she didn’t know.

“There he is!” yelled Boba suddenly when Jango’s figure climbed back onto the platform. “Guess you were right – _ow!_ What was that for?”

Beta had punched him soundly in the arm. “I _told_ you he was fine.”

“Whatever. I’m going to get the ship ready. Might want to park yourself somewhere else because _I’m_ taking the co-pilot’s seat.”

Jango stomped up the ramp into _Slave I_ as the door slid shut. His head barely turned in Beta’s direction when he climbed up the ladder to the cockpit.

“Dad, are you okay?” Boba asked. “Did you kill the Jedi?”

“No one could’ve survived that fall.”

The bounty hunter sank weariedly into the pilot’s seat. He began to punch in coordinates, still ignoring Beta, then piloted the ship up and out of Kamino’s atmosphere.

Once the ship entered hyperspace, Beta climbed down the ladder to the passenger seats and made herself as comfortable as she could. She wished she had thought to bring one of the library books with her and amused herself with the thought of what the late fee would be if she ever came back from… wherever they were going.

Wherever _they_ were going. Jango, Boba, and Beta, off to see the galaxy like she had always dreamed about. Maybe she would find a new home on a new planet somewhere far away from Kamino. 

Her mind wandered back to the water-ravaged planet, and she wondered what Kal would tell the Nulls or even the other clones about her disappearance. Why did Kal just stand back and let Jango take her? Wasn’t she his adopted daughter?

She wasn’t sure when she fell asleep or how long she slept, but she woke up to Boba pushing her legs off of the second passenger’s chair so he could sit next to her.

“Whuzza deal?” slurred Beta. “I was sleeping, you know.”

“I’m bored. Dad won’t say anything about where we’re going. Did he tell you anything?”

“No, but he _did_ make it very clear I’d regret it if I told the Jedi anything.”

A few moments passed with the pair simply watching the stars in silence. In fact, Beta was already drifting in and out of sleep again – until she felt a twinge of mischief from Boba. Eyes still closed, she reached her hand up to catch the empty can of nutritional milk Boba had lobbed at her. His sigh of frustration was enough to give her satisfaction. 

“The Force is a bunch of shab,” he muttered.


	4. A Bounty Delivered

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Upon arriving on Geonosis, Beta is thrust into a dangerous situation that will have lifelong consequences.

“Hey, _Commander_ , wake up!”

“I heard you coming.”

“Now you’re just making stuff up.”

One of Beta’s eyes popped open to see they had pulled out of hyperspace. An earthy, red-colored planet surrounded by an asteroid field loomed through the glass. Boba then decided to stand directly in front of her line of vision, his posture impatient.

“C’mon, Dad wants us up top. We’re coming in.”

The teenager stood up and stretched out the tightness in her joints. Boba went up the ladder first with Beta close behind him.

“Strap yourselves in,” Jango ordered. “If there’s a sandstorm, it could get bumpy.”

Beta tried to contain her awe. It was the first planet she had seen from space since before she crash-landed on Kamino. “What planet is this?”

“Geonosis,” was the curt response. “Now strap in.”

Boba, already settled in the copilot’s chair, peered intently at the ship diagnostics. “Dad, I think we’re being tracked!” 

“The Jedi must’ve put a homing beacon on the hull of the ship. Not to worry, son. We’ll move into the asteroid field, then we’ll leave a couple of surprises for him.”

 _The Jedi_ … Beta’s heart skipped a beat. _He must_ really _want to question me._ She was suddenly glad for the navigator seat’s restraining belt as Jango began weaving around the asteroids. The bounty hunter released a sonic charge, and Beta felt a surge of panic from the Jedi. When that didn’t destroy Kenobi’s small starfighter, another sonic charged dropped out of _Slave I_ ’s weapons bay. 

“Doesn’t seem to take a hint, this guy,” muttered Jango, guiding his ship into a cavernous asteroid. He cut his turns close to the stalactites and pillars to make things more interesting.

“Watch out!” yelled Boba unnecessarily. 

Beta knew immediately what Jango was doing when he piloted _Slave I_ through the trenches and came out on the other side. Right in front of them was Master Kenobi’s fighter.

“You’re up, Beta.”

The command was simple, yet testy. Beta’s throat remained tight as she took the controls of the forward laser cannons and blasted away at the fleeing Jedi. While the task at hand was nothing new from her drills on Kamino, she actually cared about their target’s fate. A bolt caught the starfighter on its wing, but Beta didn’t let up for fear that Jango would call her weak. 

“Got him!” Boba crowed.

Jango maintained a smug expression. “Now we’ll just have to finish him. Fire the guided torpedoes, Beta.”

She did so, but using as much urgency as she could muster, she reached out to warn Obi-Wan through the Force. All three of them watched the Jedi starfighter twist and turn, trying to lose the missiles before disappearing in a fiery explosion.

“Won’t be seeing him again,” declared Jango confidently.

Beta said nothing, only nodding to affirm him. However, she still felt the Jedi’s presence like a beacon in the Force. Obi-Wan Kenobi was alive, somehow, and she knew they hadn’t seen the last of him. 

Boba swiveled in his chair enough to give Beta a gleeful smile. “Nice shooting!”

“It was adequate,” was all Jango said.

“Thank you… I think.” She resisted the urge to roll her eyes. Instead, she leaned back in her chair and closed her eyes to calm herself.

Everything had seemed so black and white on Kamino during the drills. Targets were supposed to be eliminated with no questions asked; there was no time to form an emotional connection to a simulation. Even the hand-to-hand combat drills were straight forward. At the end of the day, everyone was still on the same side. But shooting to kill one of Jango’s actual enemies who was connected telepathically with Beta — that was something different altogether.

~

An increasing feeling of dread twisted Beta’s stomach in knots as they descended to the surface of the planet. The cockpit rotated so they were seated upright when Jango put the ship down. Boba busied himself going down to the cargo hold to grab his belongings. 

Jango stopped Beta before she could follow. His face was shadowy and serious, and his tone held gravity. “Follow my lead, Beta. No matter what you may be told when you’re here, you can still choose who you want to become.”

“You sound like Kal.”

“He was right.”

“What’s about to happen? Why did you bring me here?”

“I couldn’t let the Jedi take you away. I had orders. If you cooperate, things will work out, and there may be a chance you can leave with me after this is over.”

Boba poked his head up the ladder. “Hey, Dad, there’s a group of people coming to meet us.”

The bounty hunter pointed his finger silently at Beta to emphasize what he had said. He then followed his son down the ramp and into the docking bay. Against her better judgment, Beta tailed after him with her bag on her shoulder, keeping some distance.

“Isn’t that Tyranus?” whispered Boba, pointing at an older gentleman in a regal cloak.

Fett hushed him quickly. No one seemed to hear, and the group of beings, human, humanoid, and alien alike, halted their approach a short distance from them. The first major red flag Beta noticed was the collection of battle droids guarding the group. Adrenaline triggered by her trained instincts made her heart race and her palms sweat.

The man in the cloak covered the rest of the distance and grasped Jango’s forearm in greeting.

“I’m glad to see you made it,” he said. 

Beta’s heart skipped a beat. _She knew his voice._ It was one of the voices she had first heard ten years ago upon arriving in Tipoca City. Not only that, she experienced the same uneasy, dark feeling as the aura from the lightsaber Jango had let her use.

“Count Dooku. This is my son, Boba.”

Dooku patted Boba’s head to greet him. “I look forward to seeing what kind of bounty hunter you become, young Boba.”

The younger Fett nodded stiffly. The count’s steely gaze turned to Beta, who had adopted an attentive posture not unlike the one she used standing at ease with the other clones. 

“And who is this, Jango? I don’t remember you mentioning a stowaway.”

A twinge in Beta’s gut told her Dooku was lying. He knew _exactly_ who she was. She had to follow Jango’s lead, however.

“This is Beta Regant,” Fett replied. “She’s trained with the clones for ten years, and I’ve added in some training of my own. Let’s just say she is quite the fast learner.”

“Why did you bring her here? Shouldn’t she still be on Kamino?”

“My Jedi problem got a little too nosy during his investigation, so I decided to remove her from the premises.”

Dooku nodded and approached Beta. She met his stare unwaveringly. 

“Well, I’m sure we can find something for you to do while you’re here,” he said. He held out his hand for her to shake. 

When she returned the gesture, she could feel his presence in the Force bearing down on her like a cloud of darkness. “Pleased to meet you, Count Dooku. Happy to be of service.”

A few long moments of mental sparring took place before he released her hand. Clearly, he was assessing her fortitude in the Force.

“Well, I believe all is well and good then. Let’s show you to your quarters.”

The procession wound through catacombs of Geonosian architecture. Boba and Beta walked side-by-side just behind Jango and Dooku. Both maintained a strategic silence throughout the journey. 

Finally, they arrived at an apartment door in the residential quarters. Beta was allowed enough time to leave her bag on the couch before she was beckoned back out to the corridor by Jango. Boba, however, was halted.

“Stay here, Boba. Be here when I get back.”

“But why does Beta get to go?” asked Boba sullenly.

“You’ll see later.”

Dooku placed his hand firmly on Beta’s shoulder. She met Boba’s jealous gaze with an expression that she hoped conveyed her confusion. The door shut in his face, and she worried that the next time they saw each other would be on vastly different terms.

The longer they walked, the more Dooku’s hunger and excitement grew in the Force in concert with Beta’s unease. She could tell Jango was just as uncomfortable with the situation as she was. When the group stopped, they were outside a plain grey door.

“You’ll be staying here for now, young Beta,” Dooku instructed her, opening the door.

She stepped inside to find an empty room with no furniture. Alarmed, she spun around to see the door had shut, followed by a quiet clicking sound. She was no longer a guest on Geonosis; she was a prisoner. 

~

Minutes turned into hours. Beta wasn’t aware of how much time passed. Instead of being scared, she found herself eerily calm. Whatever reason Jango had for bringing her here far outweighed his excuse of not wanting the Jedi to question her. She sat on the ground in the middle of the room, legs crossed and hands on her knees.

 _Dooku._ She knew now he was the reason she was left on Kamino ten years ago. But what name had Boba said out loud? _Tyranus?_ Wasn’t that who had ordered Jango to guide her training? One day, the pieces would fit together.

Suddenly, a familiar, warm presence appeared in the Force.

_The Jedi._

Beta’s astonishment at how quickly he had found the settlement was matched only by his surprise at finding her. The lock to her room clicked open, and there stood Obi-Wan Kenobi with a placid expression. He slipped inside and quickly closed the door behind him.

“Hello, there,” he greeted. 

“Could you talk louder? I don’t think the guards down the hall can hear you,” hissed Beta.

“These walls are quite sound-proof. I don’t think we’re in danger of being heard.”

“Well, then, what the _frak_ are you doing here?” she snapped. “You shouldn’t try to talk to me. If Commander Fett finds out –”

“Then I won’t ask you questions about his dealings. I told the Jedi Council about you and they’re very intrigued – though not as intrigued when they found out about the army.”

Beta stood up and matched Obi-Wan’s pacing, each circling the other. “So the Jedi didn’t know about the clone army?”

“No. The Jedi Master who ordered the army, Master Sifo-Dyas, was apparently killed soon after the order was placed.”

Another man from ten years ago rose to the surface of Beta’s mind… A man dressed very similar to the Jedi in the room with her. Kenobi gauged her reaction. “You know who I’m talking about, don’t you?”

“Maybe.”

“So how did you end up staying on Kamino? I assume they kept you busy?”

“I was left in the care of the Kaminoans when my ship crash-landed and – and my parents were killed. They kept me busy, alright. Put me in the clones’ training regimen. I’m very good at what I was trained to do.”

“Which is?”

“Fight battle droids and command a battalion. I was a fast learner.” 

“And what extracurricular activities did you get suspended for?”

“I can’t talk about those.”

Kenobi paused his pacing to appraise her again. “Curious. So what I’ve found out about you is that you command clones and fight battle droids, you’re an orphan, and you’re strong in the Force. You’re clearly not a clone, but if you command them, you must have a certain degree of respect in their ranks.”

“Can I ask you a question now?” she asked hesitantly.

“I think you’ve answered enough of mine to earn a question or two.”

“What do people mean when they say I have the Force? I know what it is in theory and what I can do with it, but… how did I end up this way?”

A strange expression crossed Obi-Wan’s face. “The Force moves in mysterious ways, young Beta. It’s present in every living being through midi-chlorians, tiny microorganisms that can detect the Force if you have a large number of them. So this must be the case with you.”

“So I was born with it?”

“Normally, people are born with it, but… I’m not sure this time. Regardless, you would still have all of the same abilities if you were trained properly.”

“Right. More training. ‘Cause that’s what I need.” Beta rolled her eyes and leaned against the wall with her arms folded. “Training, training, training. All I’ve done my entire life is _train._ And for what? Just to take orders from other people?”

Kenobi shrugged. “Well, if you were the one to give the orders, what would they be?”

She chuckled. “No more orders.”

“Well, that’s ironic.”

There was a moment of awkward silence before Obi-Wan moved towards the door. “As much as I wish I could stay and chat, I haven’t concluded my investigation. I don’t suppose you want to join me in my adventure?”

“While I appreciate the offer, I have my own questions that need answers.”

“Well, I hope to see you again on better terms, Beta Regant. I have a feeling we’ll meet again soon.” He was about to slip through the door again, but he stopped to give Beta a piece of advice with a twinkle in his eye. “If you don’t mind another lesson, you can unlock the door at any time if you concentrate hard enough.”

“Sure. I knew that.”

“Right. Well, may the Force be with you.”

~

When she was sure Kenobi was gone, Beta sank to the ground. Every question she’d ever had about who she was, who she wanted to be, and why her future was being fought over by so many people came bearing down on her. It only just occurred to her how frustrating it was to think they all assumed she would comply with their plans. 

Still, Obi-Wan’s suggestion of sharpening her skills in the Force through concentration gave her an idea. She spotted a small rock on the ground, roughly the size of her fist, and focused on it. She recalled the energy she felt when she was fighting the clones, Boba, or Jango. Whatever weapons she held had become extensions of herself. So why not this rock? She pretended she was physically holding it and lifted her hand like she was about to throw it. 

The simple maneuver took more effort than Beta was expecting, but after a few moments of intense fixation on the rock, it glided up into the air and hovered.

 _Holy frak._ Her lapse in attention due to her surprise caused the rock to fall to the ground. What scared her about this experiment was that accessing this Force felt natural. She immediately knew she would need to talk to a Force-user she could trust about this, but not Dooku. 

As if on cue, the door opened again, and Count Dooku entered, flanked by two Geonosian guards. Unlike her encounter with Kenobi, Beta stood up immediately and backed defensively against the wall.

“Greetings, young Beta. I apologize I couldn’t find more comfortable accommodations for your stay.”

“Well, you could’ve left me in Jango’s apartment. That couch would be better than… this.” She waved her hand vaguely at the bare room.

“I’ve heard sarcasm is an indicator of high intelligence,” Dooku countered. “But let’s not get off on the wrong foot. I think it would be best if we didn’t lie to each other, so I’ll start. You’re here because I told Jango to bring you when he told me the Jedi was talking to you. Just like I told him to train you in any skills he deemed necessary for the next phase of your life.”

Beta watched the count’s graceful and charming demeanor, but her gut reaction was immediate distrust.

Dooku continued, “You see, I found you when your ship crashed on Kamino with a friend of mine, Jedi Master Sifo-Dyas. Your parents were dead, and although there was no sign of an attack on the ship, the inside was ravaged, and you… you were unscathed.”

A familiar sense of dread crept under Beta’s skin, a fear she had not felt for ten years. 

“...You piloted the ship to the surface of the planet by yourself. The only explanation for your solo arrival on Kamino is that you killed your parents while you were having a tantrum.”

Beta paused a moment while she processed what he had told her. “I did… _what?”_

Dooku repeated himself slowly to let the weight of his words sink in. “It seems… in your fear and anger… you killed your parents.”

“No, that can’t be true…”

Her hands began to shake and her heart started beating rapidly. The Force was suddenly an electrifying energy inside of her.

“Search your feelings. You know it to be true. You could not control your Force power because you have no training. This, I can give to you.”

Eyes snapping up to meet Dooku, Beta’s eyebrows drew together in an angry V. “I don’t _want_ more training.”

“Yes, I believe you. It’s what you’ve been doing your entire life, isn’t it? First with Jango Fett, then with the clones, then with another bounty hunter named Kal Skirata. Why do you think your training was so diverse?”

“To make me the best soldier to come off Kamino.”

“I thought we established we weren’t going to lie to each other.”

“I never agreed.”

The Geonosian guards shifted threateningly. Dooku gave a short motion for them to stand down.

“You’ve known for a while now that people have taken great interest in your training progression, and each of them have their own motives. Only one of those matters: mine. Your next stage of development starts here and now.”

“And why should your way be any better than the Jedi way?”

“Because I can teach you how to control your own destiny. The Jedi teach that serving the Force is your only destiny, and everything happens through the will of the Force.”

“What if _choosing my destiny_ ends up serving the will of the Force?” Beta’s retort was quick, and she hoped it conveyed she was done beating around the bush with Dooku. “I am _done_ with people jerking me around and manipulating me.”

The count raised both of his hands up as if he was going to embrace her. Instead, lightning shot out from his fingertips and struck Beta. The force of the electricity sent her careening into the wall. Dooku sustained the flow of lightning for several seconds, allowing her to scream in agony. When he was done, he stood over her aching body on the ground.

“There is so much more to the Force than you know. The only people who can use Force lightning are the ones who have actually felt its pain. I’m choosing you in a way.” He shot her with another blast, taking pleasure in her writhing. “One way or another, you will be my apprentice. It will just depend on how long it will take to break you.”

“I will… _never_ … serve… you…” she rasped – right before she was electrocuted again.

The guards approached her and placed her wrists in heavy cuffs. 

“It may be difficult for me to return you to Jango’s custody until I get a more satisfactory answer from you.” With that, he turned on his heel and left her alone in the room once more.

~

Dooku and his guards stepped out of the holding room to find Jango waiting for them. His hands were folded passively, his expression aloof.

“These walls are not as soundproof as you might think, Count Dooku. How’s my best soldier doing in there?”

“A little more resistant than I would have liked. She didn’t agree to be my apprentice – for now.”

“Not that it matters. When are you leaving with her?”

“Soon enough. I need to see how she performs first. Just to make sure you trained her well enough.”

“She’ll pass. I guarantee it.”

“I wonder what other skills you taught her? If she’s a soldier, she should not be so adverse to more training.”

Jango chuckled. “Well, what do you expect? She was the only female in an army of male clones who grew twice as fast as her. Not all of those clones got pulled for specialized training by a bounty hunter on a daily basis. Her genetics were not modified like the other clones. Those circumstances might lead to one being a little individualistic. Maybe I should talk to her.”

Dooku stood close to Jango, peering down at him suspiciously. “You didn’t grow fond of her, did you?”

The bounty hunter was unfazed. “I fulfilled my assignment. I delivered a top-notch weapon to you who is just discovering a mystical _Force_ that makes her even more powerful.”

“And there’s no chance you thought about using her for your own means.”

It was a statement, not a question, to which Fett responded, “I confess, when I lost my partner, the thought crossed my mind.”

“So you’re proud of what you accomplished with her.”

Another statement. “She surpassed all of my expectations.”

“We’ll see if she surpasses mine, which are the only ones that matter. You may not speak to her. Perhaps if she feels truly abandoned by you, she will be more willing to join me.”

~

Simmering rage was Beta’s only companion. _Should’ve, would’ve, could’ve._ Those words rattled around in her stunned brain – the three words Kal made her use to evaluate her actions when she failed to complete an exercise perfectly. 

_“You will never learn if those three words don’t align with your objective,”_ he would remind her constantly.

What was her objective? She wanted to forge her own path in the universe. She _should’ve_ gone with the Jedi when she had the chance. She _would’ve_ found a way off of the planet before Jango and Dooku realized she was gone. She _could’ve_ stolen _Slave I_ to escape.

The Force lightning had sapped her of her energy and left her tunic slightly charred and smoky. Along with her energy, her ability to push back any strong emotion was diminished. Hot tears rolled down her cheeks. She barely noticed them.

Jango Fett hadn’t lied to her; he had just omitted certain truths about why she was kept on Kamino. Beta’s instincts told her he wanted to protect her as long as she could, but his hands had been tied by… something. Perhaps when she passed the _verd’goten_ , he realized it would be too hard to keep her from Dooku much longer, and the Jedi’s investigation only spurred him on to hand her over.

This continued internal rationalization carried her into a dark sleep…

_Beta dreamed she was standing on a precipice, looking out over a desert. The sky grew red, then she was plunged into darkness. When she could see again, she saw a sea of dead bodies and broken droids. A great battle had taken place, and off in the distance it continued…_

How much time passed before she woke up, she didn’t know. It disconcerted her that she was unable to tell what the hours of the day were since she had been taken out of the army regimen. Beta amused herself briefly with how Cody, Rex, Cord, and the Nulls would tease her if they could see her now.

_“Commander! You look and smell like you’ve been living with gundarks for a week!”_

_“You been sleeping in the trash compactor again?”_

_“I see you’ve been practicing your undercover work with the Kowakian monkey-lizards…”_

The thought of her clone unit made her throat tighten. Her emotions started to break through her wall again. This time, she felt her body trembling with Force energy. Her hands shook despite her best efforts to clench them and keep them steady. Around her, loose pebbles and stones shuddered and rose into the air.

The more questions bounced around her head, the more unstable she became. She could almost hear Obi-Wan in her head, urging her to focus. Memories of Jango’s callous teachings and Kal’s firm orders helped her isolate what was causing her emotional reaction. 

_She had killed her own parents with the Force._ Beta took a painstaking deep breath, clenched her fists, and emitted a feral scream. She pushed her cuffed hands forward, and through them came a shockwave that sent all of the stones flying in all directions. Still distraught, she used her power to toss the rocks every which way around the room. She was eventually able to focus her rage enough to create a whirlwind of flying debris. Her emotions were fueling her power, and right then she knew she could be all that Dooku, Jango, Kal, and even Kenobi saw in her – but still her own person.

~

Dooku stood up suddenly during a meeting with his Separatist allies. He could feel the disturbance in the Force taking place in the room beneath his feet. Fett, immediately behind him, masked his surprise.

“Is everything alright?” he asked. 

“I think it’s time we adjourned to the arena,” was the short reply. “Fetch your son. It might be good for him to see what happens to Republic spies.”

The count waved for a squad of Geonosian guards to follow him to the lower level. He used the Force to open the door cautiously; nothing flew through the door at the group. When they went inside, they found Beta on the floor, eyes closed, levitating a spinning circle of rocks around her. Her eyebrows gave away her anger.

“I know what you want me to do, and I won’t do it,” she said without opening her eyes. “You want me to kill the guards so you can act in self-defense. On Kamino, I learned the way to defeat the more aggressive clones was to not play their game. It frustrated them, which led them to make mistakes.”

Dooku rolled his eyes in annoyance. “You’re smart enough to see I am no clone.”

“And you’re smart enough to see I won’t be what you want me to be. Not willingly, anyway.”

“I think it’s time you experienced what it feels like to truly face death with no hope of escape. Maybe that will change your perspective.”

He hit her with a blast of Force lightning to incapacitate her. The guards waited for the rocks to fall to the floor before hoisting her to her feet. 

“So much wasted potential,” sniffed Dooku. “At least we’ll get a good show out of you. Take her away.”

Beta was hustled down corridor after corridor, until finally, she was put in a cart and her hands were locked in place. The sentries didn’t speak to her. She had no idea what waited for her outside the door; whatever it was gave her a bad feeling. Jango had taught her —

 _Jango Fett_. She stopped short thinking of him. It bothered her now more than ever that he hadn’t cared to check on her. He’d probably forbidden Boba from looking for her. And now he was going to let her get put on display for entertainment purposes. 


	5. Call to Action

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The moment Beta has been waiting for arrives, but not in the way she expects or wants. New allies are made and old friends are left behind.

The gates opened and the cart lurched forward. A deafening roar reached Beta’s ears when she appeared to the thousands of Geonosians seated around the arena. Her eyes drifted over four tall pillars in the middle of the arena, one of which was already occupied, then up to the observing platform. Count Dooku stood there alongside a Neimoidian, a royal Geonosian, and… Jango Fett. At the bounty hunter’s elbow was Boba, who tugged at his father’s arm in alarm when he saw Beta. Fett hushed his son sternly. 

Beta saw another familiar face when her cart approached the pillar: Obi-Wan Kenobi. His eyebrows furrowed in concern as he met her solemn gaze. 

“Beta, I’m so sorry if I made them suspect you on Kamino,” he said sincerely. 

“Trust me, this isn’t about you.” She didn’t bother to resist when the guards cuffed her hands to the pillar’s tethering chain. “But I will have a few scores to settle if I make it out of here alive.”

Another cart entered the arena carrying two more humans, a male and a female. The male was a Jedi by the looks of him, and the female carried herself with an air of regality Beta had only seen from Count Dooku.

“I see you got my message,” quipped Obi-Wan.

“Yes, and we retransmitted it just as you’d requested, Master,” the male replied. “Then… we decided to come rescue you.”

Kenobi glanced up at his bound wrists. “Good job.”

“Who’s the girl?”

“Anakin, this is Beta. Beta, Anakin. I wish you two were meeting under different circumstances.”

“I kinda wish that too, Master Kenobi,” Beta quipped. 

The female seemed preoccupied with something else, only nodding shortly at Beta when Anakin introduced her as Padmé Amidala, the senator from Naboo. 

Four gates opened on the other side of the arena, and guards started driving four large beasts towards the prisoners with electropikes: one nexu, one reek, one acklay, and one rancor. Beta gulped; she had only ever heard of rancors, and she never wanted to see one up close and personal. 

“Concentrate, Anakin,” directed Obi-Wan.

“Yeah? What about Padmé?”

Beta looked over at the senator’s pillar, only to see she was now perched on top of it, working at picking her wrists free of the cuffs.

“She seems to be on top of things.” Kenobi’s bad pun made Beta chuckle nervously.

_ Dooku wants a show, does he? I’ll give him one _ .

~

The rancor stomped towards Beta; the reek picked up speed charging at Anakin; Obi-Wan watched the acklay’s leering pincers; and the nexu scratched desperately at Padmé’s pillar, trying to reach her. Beta noticed Jango watching her closely with what appeared to be worry on his face. 

She darted behind the pillar, waiting for the beast to pursue her. She didn’t care what was happening to the rest of the captives; they seemed like they could take care of themselves. When the rancor reared and took a swing at her with its giant three-clawed hand, she let the chain get caught on one of its fingers. Her plan worked. The rancor’s swipe yanked the chain off of its hold on the pillar.

Beta pulled the chain out of the rancor’s reach before it realized what had happened, then used it to lasso one of its legs and wrapped the restraint partially around the pillar. She mustered just enough strength to tip it off-balance, and it fell to the ground with a crash. 

Only then did she take into account the acklay, which was stabbing the dirt trying to pin Obi-Wan. It knocked Beta to the ground with its claw as it swung at Kenobi, not even seeing her. She stood up and waved at him, ushering him in the direction of the rancor.

Kenobi understood what Beta was attempting to do. He dodged past where the rancor lay in the dirt, and the acklay followed. The creature barely noticed when one of its pincers went right through the heart of the rancor. The crowd went wild at the sight of the blood. Beta glanced up to the platform where Dooku was standing with a challenge in her eye. He did not acknowledge her triumph with approval.

“Any ideas for this thing?” Kenobi shouted, waving his hands at the acklay in frustration. 

“Not yet!”

Meanwhile, Anakin had gained control of the reek that was chasing him and now rode on its back. He used it to kill Padmé’s nexu. The senator jumped down to sit behind him. 

A Geonosian riding an orray charged Beta. She did a front flip over its head to dodge it. Obi-Wan caught her leftovers by grabbing its electropike and flipping the guard off of its steed.

“Get on!” yelled Anakin, steering the reek towards the pair. 

Another gate opened up on the edge of the arena to allow several droidekas to roll out. They circled the four prisoners, three of which were on the reek. Beta stood defensively in front of the animal. It was just a matter of time before they opened fire.

_ So this is what Dooku meant by staring death in the face with no hope of escape… _

She turned her gaze upwards to Jango and Dooku to shoot them one last look of loathing and betrayal —

Only to see a purple lightsaber blade leveled at the bounty hunter’s neck. Beta, Anakin, Padmé, and Obi-Wan stared in amazement as more than a hundred blue and green sabers ignited in unison around the arena. The Geonosian spectators began fleeing in droves, their wings creating a deafening roar.

Suddenly, the Jedi threatening Fett switched from offense to defense in a split-second at the same time that waves of battle droids flooded the arena. Jango blasted him with his flame-thrower and watched as he leapt off of the balcony and into the ensuing chaos below.

~

The familiar rush of battle surrounded Beta. The blasterfire sent the reek reeling, and it threw off its passengers to begin stampeding around, running down Jedi and droids alike. 

Kenobi nodded at Beta and tossed her a blaster from a fallen battle droid. “Looks like the army’s been called up to battle!”

“Roger that!” Beta yelled back. She grabbed a lightsaber left by a dead Jedi, then she did what she had been trained to do her entire life: destroy battle droids. 

At first, she used the lightsaber to attack droids within range of her swing — until she realized she could use the blade to redirect blaster bolts back at the shooter. She felt free to leap and tumble around the arena, cutting wide swaths in the stream of battle droids. Every aspect of her training came into play: all of the sparring drills Jango used to make her do, her hand-to-hand combat and acrobatic moves Kal had taught her, the endless simulations in the clone facilities. 

Beta also experienced a new feeling in the Force: the loss of life. While she knew people died in warfare, she had never witnessed people dying before now. The sensation of a life disappearing in the Force as she watched Jedi after Jedi being cut down almost made her lose her concentration.

The Geonosian warriors joined the fray with massive plasma cannons that fired at clusters of Jedi, and still stampeding around the arena was the reek. The beast decided to chase after the dark-skinned Jedi who had threatened Jango. Out of the corner of Beta’s eye, she saw the bounty hunter seize his opportunity and ignite his jetpack to carry him down to the battlefield. She didn’t know why, but she felt she had to reach him – maybe to beg him to pull her from the field, maybe to kill him for betraying her – and she started fighting her way across the battlefield towards him. 

The reek knocked the Jedi’s lightsaber out of his hand when he tried to hold the weapon out and cut its head off. Fett made a dive for it – only to be bowled over and caught up underneath the reek’s legs. The animal stopped after running over the bounty hunter completely and paused, its foot pawing the ground, ready for another charge. Jango scrambled to his feet, whipped out his blaster, and fired into the reek’s mouth at the last possible second. It was a direct hit; the reek fell forward into the ground. Jango somersaulted out of the way.

Beta slashed and fired at battle droid after battle droid in her path, but she was helpless to stop what happened. Fett stood up, shooting the Jedi, who whacked each blaster bolt away effortlessly with his lightsaber, then with two quick slashes, lopped off the bounty hunter’s hand and head. The Mandalorian helmet rolled across the blood-soaked dirt.

It was like Beta’s surroundings evaporated around her, and all she could see was the Jedi standing arrogantly above Jango Fett’s corpse. Whatever the bounty hunter’s motive was, he had given Beta the skills she needed to survive outside of the army. Now he was gone.

Her next thought twisted her stomach into a knot she wouldn’t be able to untangle for the rest of her life.  _ Boba just witnessed the Jedi kill his father _ . 

~

A plasma blast hit the ground near Beta’s feet, sending her face-first into the dirt. She was still stunned by what she had witnessed. Coughing, she raised her head slowly and looked around. The Jedi numbers were steadily declining against the never-ending waves of battle droids. 

_ Where’s Boba? I need to find – _

Another explosion landed meters from her head, so close she had to push herself away. Of course, this alerted the battle droids she was still alive, and several converged on her. Beta raised her lightsaber in front of her face in a sort of salute, but they didn’t fire.

“You’re under arrest!” a Super Battle Droid bellowed in her face. “We have orders to take you to Count Dooku.”

“Not a chance,” was her abrupt reply, dropping the blaster and thrusting her palm forward. Force power surged from her hand, a manifestation of her anger at Jango’s death. All of the droids circling her flew backwards, leaving her free to grab another blaster and resume her fighting.

The Jedi were being pushed towards the center of the arena. Droids surrounded them on all sides, relentlessly firing and showing no signs of stopping. Beta herself was shunted into the circle of lightsaber-wielding beings. More and more Force-users fell.

At a signal from Count Dooku, the droids ceased their assault and stayed their blasters. Kenobi came to stand beside her and placed his hand on her shoulder in reassurance.

“Master Windu!” called Dooku. He was addressing the dark-skinned Jedi. “You have fought valiantly today, worthy of record in the Jedi Archives. You have a choice: surrender, or die.”

“We will not be hostages for you to barter with, Dooku!” barked Windu.

Count Dooku’s eyes found Beta’s panting figure. “There is one in your midst who is not one of you. Turn her over so she does not have to meet the same fate as you.”

Beta felt every pair of Jedi eyes rest on her. Windu appraised her, and she turned her defiant gaze up to the balcony. “I will  _ not _ surrender, Dooku.”

“Well, then, I’m sorry, old friend.”

The droids took aim at the survivors, and Beta sensed the apprehension among them. Death at the hands of battle droids seemed like an appropriate way to go – although it would be more fitting alongside clone troopers instead of strangers.

“Look!” Padmé cried, pointing upwards. 

Swooping down into the arena and overhead were dozens of clone gunships with her fellow soldiers on board. The Low-Altitude Assault Transports formed a perimeter around the Jedi and Beta, who began fending off blaster fire from droids and retreating onto the aircraft. Beta found herself on the same LAAT as Windu, a Nautalan, a Cerean, and a small green alien whose species she did not recognize. 

The transport rose into the air. As the ground beneath them shrank, Beta noticed a small figure emerge from behind a pillar on the outside of the arena, watching the teenager escape with the Jedi. 

_ Boba. _ She thought briefly about leaping from the LAAT and running off with him, but the clones were her family. She gave him a small wave good-bye and held eye contact until he was out of sight. 

~

“Commander Regant! Glad to see you’re safe,” Cord greeted her. 

Beta saluted her fellow officer. “It’s been a while, Commander. Good to see you again.”

The Jedi on the transport with her observed this interaction with interest. The green alien, whom Beta assumed was a Jedi elder, spoke first. “More to our guest than meets the eye, I think.”

“What is your name?” asked Windu. 

“Commander Beta Regant of the 501st Legion,” Beta responded. 

The Cerean seemed taken aback. “‘Commander’?”

The dark-skinned Jedi looked at the elder Master before conducting introductions. “I’m Master Mace Windu. This is Ki Adi Mundi, Kit Fisto, and Grand Master Yoda,” he said, pointing at the Cerean, Nautalan, and small alien respectively. 

“Master Yoda,” Cord interjected, “what are our orders?”

“Drop off Masters Windu, Fisto, and Mundi at the front lines, we will,” Yoda ordered.

“Master Yoda, if I may ask - do I have permission to join my unit on the battlefield?” Beta asked hopefully. “I’ve been waiting for years for the army to be called into action.”

Yoda fixed her with an assertive gaze. “Much to discuss, we have. Accompany me, you will, until more clarification I have.”

This was not the best time to start an argument with the people who had rescued her, she decided. She nodded in deference. All four Jedi watched her reaction carefully for any signs of anger or defiance. 

The LAAT landed on the battlefield, and the three designated Jedi, Cord, and most of the clone troopers disembarked. 

Commander Cord clasped Beta’s forearm in farewell. “Stay safe, Commander.”

“You, too. I expect to see you on the sparring mats soon.”

“To the forward command center, take us!” said Yoda.

“Sir, yes, sir!” the pilot said immediately.

The ground dropped away beneath the transport, and once more, Beta felt like she was being taken away from the army against her will. She wanted desperately to be among the clone ranks, suited up in her armor and preparing to blast battle droids away to oblivion. Instead, another party wanted to take control of her future - just like Kal had warned her.

Yoda turned to face Beta, an interested smile on his green face. “Found yourself in a difficult place, hmmm? Not how you thought this day was going to go?”

“You could say that.” She was still staring at the battlegrounds below them longingly.

“Feeling loss, you are.”

“Yes. I lost someone. And I lost a friendship.”

“For Jedi, a path to the dark side, the fear of loss is.”

“I’m not a Jedi.” Her tone was firm and she gave no indication it was something she wanted. “But I know I can use the Force. I’ve been using the Force my whole life without realizing it.”

“Guides your actions and your training, it does.”

The transport touched down at the command center. The clone commander in charge, an officer Beta knew by the nickname of Derk, greeted Yoda and Beta with a salute.

“Master Yoda. Commander Regant. All forward positions are advancing.”

“Very good. Very good.” Satisfied, Yoda stepped off of the transport and waved Beta to follow him. “Commander Regant, a course of action you have?”

“We need to stop their ships from leaving. Concentrate on the command ships.”

“Yes, Commander Regant.”

~

For the rest of the battle, Beta flew from clone to clone, giving out orders and bringing down the Separatist ships one by one. This was something she was used to, and she could feel Yoda’s approval. 

Yoda came alongside her after some time. “Well done, Commander Regant. Used to command, you are.”

“The Separatists are in full retreat, Master Yoda. What would you like me to do now?”

“Take a transport to Coruscant, you must. To the Jedi Temple, you will go. There, we will decide your fate.”

“Decide my fate… Master?”

“Still unclear, it is, how you came to be on Geonosis today. Much investigating we have to do. Many questions for you, we have.”

Her euphoria from the successful ground and aerial campaigns was dampened slightly, but she nodded obediently anyway.

“To see an old friend, I must go,” Yoda continued, boarding an LAAT. “May the Force be with you.”

Derk walked up beside her. “Good to have you back, Commander.”

“I’m getting the sense they’re not going to let me come back completely, Derk.”

“They’ve seen what you can do. They won’t have a choice but to take you seriously. But for the record – you look like you’ve been through hell.”

Beta couldn’t hold back a chuckle. She could only imagine what she looked like: a filthy tunic marked by blaster burns from close calls, her face streaked with dirt, blood, and sweat, and her hair sticking out in all directions.

“Well. Shall we go on another adventure?” he asked. 

“Always.”


	6. The New Directive

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Beta is given a new assignment by the Jedi Council, but she must come to terms with recent events as the Clone Wars escalate.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a shorter chapter I recently extended as I continue to try to make the lead female character more human.

**One Week Later**

~

The Room of a Thousand Fountains was Beta’s favorite place to visit in the Jedi Temple on Coruscant. It was ironic, given her aversion to rain because of her childhood on Kamino, but her mind felt particularly at peace strolling among the waterfalls and plants. On this particular day, she settled on the bench behind the largest waterfall, closed her eyes, and let the splashing of the liquid be the only sound she heard… except for the buzzing of her comlink. 

“Commander Regant,” she answered dutifully.

_ “Commander Regant, this is Master Windu. Your presence is required in the Council chambers.” _

She sighed briefly before confirming, “I’m on my way up, Master Windu.”

Having her meditation time cut short gave Beta a sense of non-completion and unrest, but there was nothing she could do. She stood up and walked towards the lifts that would take her up to the tallest spire of the Temple.

As she walked, the eyes of several Padawans, Knights, and Masters followed her with curiosity and suspicion. The Jedi Council had granted her asylum in the Temple, along with living quarters. Beta understood their mistrust. It wasn’t like the Jedi to allow outsiders to sleep within their walls.

She had swapped her clone’s garb for a simple tunic and robe to assimilate more, but added steel plates to her shins, knees, and forearms so she felt somewhat secure in her new garb. A blaster was strapped to her left thigh; the lightsaber she had used in the arena on Geonosis swung from a sturdy leather belt. She had knotted several small braids into her short, militaristic haircut.

Beta arrived at the entrance to the Jedi Council chambers and took a deep breath before entering. When she did, she advanced to the middle of the room and stood directly in front of Yoda, dipping her head respectfully to him.

“A mystery we will address today,” he began. “Much we do not know about why on Kamino you were raised. Know this, we do: strong in the Force you are, and well-trained in combat and military tactics.”

Mace Windu spoke next. “Do you know why you lived on Kamino and why you trained with the clones?”

Beta bit her lip before responding. It was useless to lie, she knew, but she wasn’t sure how much she should reveal about her upbringing. “Masters, thank you for giving me an audience. I still have many questions myself. I do know my parents brought me to Kamino when I was three. Our ship crashed, however, and my parents were killed. The Kaminoans raised me, but sent me to train with the clones. I was also trained by the bounty hunter Jango Fett. When Master Kenobi came to investigate Kamino, he questioned me briefly, but the bounty hunter decided it was best to take me with him when he left in case the Jedi came back. I was taken captive by Count Dooku when we arrived on Geonosis. It became clear that Dooku knew I had the Force, and he paid Jango Fett to train me on Kamino. He asked me to be his apprentice on Geonosis. I refused, and he sent me to the arena to die.”

Every Jedi Master had their eyes on her, pondering her testimony. Finally, a Master named Plo Koon broke the silence. “Describe your training on Kamino.”

“It was expected of me to be proficient in all areas of ground combat, namely special weapons, tactics, and hand-to-hand combat. I was a fast learner. If the trainers felt I was falling behind, I would be given extra drills.”

“By trainers, do you mean Jango Fett?” 

“Yes. And Kal Skirata, another bounty hunter hired to train the special ops clones.”

Ki Adi Mundi was the next to question her. “Would you say you were aware you had the Force?”

She hesitated. “I would say I knew I had special abilities – quicker reflexes, anticipating things before they happened, and dreams… very real dreams.”

“Like visions, you say?” said Yoda, his ears perking up.

“Maybe. Maybe they were just dreams.”

“Perhaps.” 

Windu stroked his chin. “Your ability to command the clones is impressive, as are your fighting abilities. I saw you use the Force to push away several battle droids at once on Geonosis. Why do you think you were able to do that?”

Beta’s eyes dropped to her feet. “I was angry. Angry at Count Dooku.”

“Why?”

“He tried to have several droids arrest me during the battle. I know why he did it, too. He still wants me to be his apprentice.”

“Something we must prevent at all costs,” Ki Adi Mundi interjected. 

“The Council has decided to grant you the rank of general in the Grand Army of the Republic,” declared Windu. “Your knowledge of the clones’ tactics and your personal training are too dangerous to be set loose in the galaxy. You would have the protection of the Jedi and the Republic as a general. Additionally, while you cannot be trained to be a Jedi, you must have a mentor to harness your Force power. The Force can be a deadly weapon if it is uncontrolled.”

“I accept your generous offer,” Beta said humbly. “May I ask where I will live? And who my mentor will be?”

“Me,” another voice said.

Beta turned to see Obi-Wan Kenobi enter. Anakin Skywalker was directly behind him. 

Windu didn’t bother to smile when he saw Beta’s face lighten at the idea of learning from Obi-Wan. “You and your battalion will travel with Master Kenobi whenever possible. Solo missions aren’t out of the question. He will also escort you to Ilum to harvest a kyber crystal for your own lightsaber. In terms of living quarters, you may stay in the Temple when you are not on your command ship.”

“Thank you for your generosity. I understand.”

“Good.” Master Windu gave her one final cursory glance before saying, “You’re dismissed.”

“I’ll send for you when I’m finished here, Beta,” informed Kenobi. 

Anakin nodded tersely as she walked by, apparently less than impressed with her promotion.

~

_ General _ Regant. The title seemed too good to be true. The reason the Jedi Council had promoted her was plain: they needed to keep an eye on her and make sure she didn’t fall into the wrong hands. She knew that Mace Windu, especially, was uneasy with her abilities, given her history with Jango Fett. She didn’t plan on telling him she had witnessed him killing the bounty hunter, and what he didn’t know wouldn’t hurt him.

Beta strolled hurriedly through the temple to the clone barracks and training facilities. It didn’t take her long to find the sparring mats, where a familiar sight greeted her. The Nulls were on an isolated mat, set away from the rest of the clones. Ordo spotted her approaching and waved her down.

“Was wondering when you were going to show up to this party, Commander,” he greeted, clapping her on the shoulder.

Beta brushed his hand off and shook her finger at him. “Ah, ah, ah. It’s  _ General _ to you now.”

“Blimey.” A’den hopped up to his feet. “You disappear for days, then show up dressed like a Jedi with a promotion and everything? Doesn’t mean you’re not still a little shab from Kamino.”

“Good to see you too.”

“General Regant,” a stern voice echoed. 

She turned around to see Kal Skirata standing behind her wearing his Mandalorian armor. 

_ “Kal’buir.” _ Beta dipped her head respectfully. “Are you serving the Republic now?”

“Yes, I am. Are you?”

“Kinda hard not to. You were right about people wanting to control my destiny. First Jango trying to hand me over to a Sith Lord, now the Jedi giving me the rank of general to keep an eye on me.”

Skirata chuckled and put his hand on her shoulder. “This war won’t last forever, Beta. When it’s over, they won’t be able to control you anymore.”

“I hope so,” Beta said. She bit her lip and sighed. “I guess you heard what happened to Jango, huh.”

Nodding, he took her shoulder. “Let’s go for a walk.”

~

Kal led Beta to an overlook on the top level of the garrison. The sun was setting on the horizon, illuminating the reflective buildings and painting the sky a rich pink and orange hue – the exact opposite of Kamino. It didn’t bring Beta any joy, though. Her insides felt like they were gnawing at her slim frame. 

“How are you feeling?” said Kal. “You can be honest with me.”

“I – I, uh – I don’t know  _ what  _ to say or  _ how _ to say it. I feel like I can’t breathe!” she exclaimed, rubbing her chest over her heart. “There’s just so much of everything inside me right now!”

“You weren’t raised to process the tolls of war. You were raised and trained to fight and win. But you’re still young, and you’re human.”

Beta put her hands on the railing to steady herself. “How did you feel when you lost your parents? Were you allowed to feel sad about it?”

“Of course I was,” Kal answered, leaning against the fence beside her. “Is that what this is about? You don’t know if you should feel sad about something?”

“Yeah. I mean, I don’t see the Nulls or the other clones crying.”

“Crying doesn’t mean you’re weak. In some instances, you are stronger if you do cry because it shows you’re not afraid of confronting your feelings. There is always a time to mourn.”

“Good. I’m glad you said that.” Beta turned her back to the sunset and slid down the barrier to sit on the ground, tears already trickling down her face. Kal let her have her time. 

Her anguish came in deep heaves for a solid minute before she could talk again. “I miss Jango. He taught me as much as he could even though he knew he’d give me to Dooku eventually. And I betrayed Boba – I just left him there, standing in the dust right after his dad was killed by one of the Jedi on the transport with me. And I – I killed my parents with the Force ‘cause I couldn’t control it! Everything used to be under control.  _ I  _ used to be under control. And now – now I don’t know what I’m capable of and it scares me!”

“You’re capable of being a shab. Use that as a baseline and go from there.”

The next thing Kal knew was a whirlwind of furious punches from Beta, followed by her realizing the futility of bare fists against  _ beskar _ and sobbing onto his chest plate. Finally, Beta ground her teeth, balled her hands into fists, and wiped her eyes. “Okay. Mourning time’s over. Time to win a war.”

“That’s my girl,” he said proudly, clasping her shoulder and looking the teenager in her red, puffy eyes. “Just remember you’re still different than the clones. You have a shot at a life after this war.”

“I do have pretty good aim, so I’ll work extra hard to get my shot.”

~

When Kal and Beta returned to the sparring mats, the Nulls were conversing quietly amongst themselves. Ordo stepped forward with a mischievous grin on his face. “I think we should see if Beta hasn’t gotten rusty while she’s been on vacation.”

Beta’s eyebrows came together in an angry V and she silently let her robe fall to the floor, unclipped her weapons, and stepped onto the mat. The Nulls and several other clones gathered around to watch the match that was about to take place. She closed her eyes to center and prepare herself. This wasn’t going to be an easy challenge, but it was a welcome one; her raw emotions were itching for a fight.

The Null swung first, beginning a stunning display of physical acrobatics on both sides. Both were completely tuned into the task at hand: put the opponent on their back. When it seemed one party was gaining the upper hand, the other fought back with increased energy. There were whoops and cheers and bets made by the onlookers… until they changed to hushed whispers and gasps. Even Ordo stopped his attack to stare at Beta.

“What’s going on here?” 

Kenobi appeared at the front of the gathering. He, too, was taken aback by Beta’s appearance. 

“Why is everyone staring at me?” she demanded, still panting.

Wordlessly, Ordo handed her his red helmet so she could see her reflection in the T-visor. She was shocked at what she saw: a visible aura of Force power was emanating from her body, and her eyes looked like bright green flames. It was already evaporating as she caught her breath, but everyone present had seen it. Kal stepped onto the mat and stood in front of her.

“Everyone here today has seen something special,” he said solemnly. “You might still be the little shab from Kamino, but we’re lucky to have you as our general.” With that, he saluted her, and the dozens of clones who were watching followed suit. 

Unsure of what to do, she simply bowed her head out of respect. Then she faced the crowd of soldiers saluting her, squaring her shoulders. Her mouth felt as dry as paper. “We all grew up on Kamino together. I’ve watched thousands of you train from birth until now, and I’ve trained alongside you. There is no finer batch of soldiers I would rather fight beside.” The crowd cheered, making Beta feel more confident. “We must keep this Republic united and defend life at all costs. The clankers better watch out, because they’re about to become permanent scrap metal!” Another cheer, longer and louder this time. She adopted a quieter tone to close out her impromptu speech. “I’m proud to serve alongside you and call you my brothers. For the Republic!”

_ “FOR THE REPUBLIC!”  _ was the deafening response. 


	7. The Force Itself

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As promised by the Jedi Council, Obi-Wan Kenobi takes Beta to the Crystal Caves of Ilum. Her journey inside the caves challenges her to define herself.

“Well, the clones seem rather inspired by your leadership,” Obi-Wan said casually. He and Beta were on board the  _ Crucible _ , the ancient Corellian vessel used by Jedi Masters to take younglings to gather their kyber crystals on Ilum. The ship was barreling through hyperspace. 

Beta looked up from wolfing down a nerf loaf. Her stomach seemed to be a bottomless pit lately with her Force training added onto her regular drills with the clones. “The Jedi will earn that inspiration in time. I think it’s easier for them to rally behind someone who grew up with them.”

Kenobi pondered her for a few moments. “The Council has made it clear you can’t be a Jedi, yet they are giving you the opportunity to create your own lightsaber. A lightsaber is a Jedi’s life, and the crystals that power it are naturally attuned to the light side of the Force. If you’re successful in retrieving a crystal, it shows you also naturally lean towards the light.”

“I try to do the right thing. I’ve felt the anger Dooku tells me will give me power and it… it doesn’t feel good. I’m most at peace when I’m meditating. I can feel the light and the dark fighting all the time, but I just want to know  _ the Force.” _

“So what will a lightsaber be to you if you aren’t a Jedi?”

“It will be another tool I can become proficient with while honing my Force skills. The Force has helped me with my combat and weapons training growing up without using a lightsaber. Why should a lightsaber be treated differently?”

“I see your point of view. What you may not see is everyone else’s perspective when you’re seen holding a lightsaber.” 

“They’ll see a Jedi. Which is what the Jedi Council wants them to think.”

“Especially if you’re a general.”

“I didn’t ask to be.”

“But it’s what you wanted.”

Indignation flooded Beta’s veins. “I also didn’t ask to be put in charge of soldiers who look exactly like the person who trained me on Kamino since I was three.”

“Jango Fett?”

“Yes. Jango Fett.”

“Who, if I remember correctly, was just grooming you for Count Dooku.”

Beta didn’t respond right away. A hard lump formed in her throat thinking about his betrayal. Her eyes barely shifted to the caf machine to consider getting a third cup and buying herself some time before responding – until Obi-Wan used the Force to levitate it over to the table and pour the liquid into her cup.

“You forget Anakin was my apprentice for ten years,” he said amiably. “He was a master of stalling responses to my questions.”

“Can’t say I blame him.” She took a sip of the caf and let the warmth seep down to her toes. “I’d be lying if I said Jango’s betrayal didn’t hurt… but I’d also be lying if I said I hadn’t suspected there was an ulterior motive for him training me so intensely.” 

“It seems to have paid off. Your fighting in the arena was rather effective. So my question to you now is, do you have a purpose for fighting?”

“I’m fighting for freedom.  _ My  _ freedom. From the Jedi and Count Dooku.”

“But where will you go once the war is over?”

Beta hesitated again. Her gut told her to trust Obi-Wan, but could she trust him completely if he was a Jedi? Even so, she reached into her pocket and pulled out the Mandalorian crest given to her by Kal and laid it on the table. “Kal Skirata gave me a family when I was on Kamino. He put me through the  _ verd’goten _ trial to make me a full-fledged Mandalorian. He also adopted me into Clan Skirata. I want to learn more about Mandalore, maybe make a home for myself on one of the moons of Concord Dawn.” 

“Well, this makes things more interesting.” Kenobi stroked his beard. “A Mandalorian Republic general who also happens to be quite potent with Force power. Can’t say I saw this combination coming.”

“And one who will wield a lightsaber.”

“I’m  _ very _ curious to see what color kyber crystal you’ll end up with…”

~

When the  _ Crucible  _ landed on Ilum, Obi-Wan began prefacing the significance of the trip for Beta as he walked her towards the Jedi Temple entrance. “This is your journey. No two trips to the Crystal Caves are the same. You may find yourself tested in ways you didn’t expect.”

“Oh. Great. Looking forward to this.”

“Your first test is to gain access to the temple. Most younglings accomplish this by reaching out with the Force to reveal an entrance.”

Beta took a deep breath and faced the blank, snowy wall. While she had not been raised in the Jedi culture, her recent experiences gave her enough skill to consciously access the Force. The power of the living energy inside the caves startled her at first. Instead of withdrawing in fear, she embraced the connection and concentrated on strengthening it. Her eyes were closed; her hand instinctively reached out as if she was trying to physically grasp the Force. She felt the barrier move and opened her eyes to see the entrance open for her.

“Well done, young one,” congratulated Obi-Wan before he led the way into the temple.

The inside of the ancient Jedi Temple was ornate but simple in its architecture. Beta looked around in awe. The antechamber seemed to be teeming with ancient knowledge she wanted to learn one day. The pair came to a stop right outside a sheet of ice covering a wall.

“The sun will rise shortly and melt the frozen waterfall covering the entrance to the caves,” Kenobi explained. “Once you’re inside the caves, you need to search for the kyber crystal that speaks to you alone. The Force does not give these up for free, however. You’ll be faced with your greatest weakness in order to find your own crystal.”

“I’m sure I’ll be thrilled to meet my weaknesses for the first time.”

“Beta.”

“Yes?”

“You won’t need your weapons.”

Sighing, Beta unclipped her lightsaber, pulled her blaster out of its holster, and handed both to Kenobi. 

“Good job. Now, I suggest meditating while you wait for the sun to rise.”

“Yes, Master Kenobi.”

This gave Beta a chance to calm her beating heart. She knew Obi-Wan could feel her anxiety. It was disconcerting to be spending time around people who wouldn’t take a stony face at face-value for how someone felt; the Jedi could see through the carefully curated bravado she had learned to project on Kamino.

While the two sat on the ground peacefully, the teenager sensed a growing darkness reaching out for her. It gripped her heart and soul and spread an icy sensation down to her very toes. At the same time, a warmth filled her, fighting back the darkness. Moments of pure internal conflict raged between the light and dark sides until a new sense of purpose filled her: she wanted neither of these sides to control her. Her eyes flew open to see the waterfall melting away from the cave entrance. 

Kenobi noticed her mission-oriented eyes. “Go, young one. I have a feeling I’ll see you shortly.”

~

Beta’s footsteps echoed in the crystal caves as she walked on the pathways through the numerous crystals. Of course she knew it wouldn’t be as simple as picking up one crystal and leaving. It had to be  _ her _ crystal. 

Her eye caught a shadow briefly flitting along the cave wall, heading into the depths of the cave. Something about the shadow felt familiar, so she followed where she felt it was going. She didn’t know how long or how far she ran – all she knew was the weight of the Force slowing her pace. 

_ Oof.  _ Her breath left her as she tripped on a rock and fell to the ground. Beta snorted in frustration at her own clumsiness. When she looked up, she saw the shadow drawing closer on the wall, appearing to be a figure coming around the corner of the tunnel. She stumbled to her feet and stood stock-still.

_ “Beta!”  _ Boba’s voice rang out in the caves. His small figure ran towards her.

She peered closer at the boy. “Is that you, Boba?” 

_ “Yeah. It’s me. Where are you? I can’t find you.” _

“I left — I had to leave, remember? We were fighting in the arena on Geonosis and the clones rescued us.”

_ “Yeah, and the  _ Jedi.  _ The Jedi killed my father and you just —  _ ran off  _ with them?” _

“I did. I took my best shot at surviving, just like Jango and Kal taught me.”

_ “You know, Dad was right. The Jedi can’t be trusted. Which means I can’t trust you anymore.” _

“And I thought I could trust Jango. He turned me over to Count Dooku for money and Dooku sentenced me to death. So of course I was going to escape with the Jedi and the clones!”

_ “I don’t care. I never want to see you again.” _

“I don’t care if you don’t want to see me again. I’m going to find you and make this right.” With that, she turned on her heel and walked away swiftly.

_ “Are you really so naïve to think you’ll be safe with the Jedi protecting you?” _ It was Count Dooku’s voice that echoed through the cavern this time. Beta’s hand flew to her side automatically for her lightsaber, but it wasn’t there.

Another voice called out to her:  _ “The girl is dangerous but useful. She must be kept under close watch.”  _ It was Mace Windu speaking.

It was Yoda’s turn to speak out.  _ “Careful, we must be, when dealing with a well of power this deep.” _

_ “Beta! You must choose!” _ Dooku, this time.  _ “The narrow-minded way of the Jedi? Or the freedom of the Sith?” _

Mace Windu interected.  _ “She must not fall into the hands of the Sith _ . _ She would become an even greater threat.” _

_ “A threat to us in the wrong hands, she would be. But a powerful ally if on our side she was.” _

A surge of anger echoed through Beta’s veins. “Leave me  _ alone!” _ she shouted. “My destiny is mine to choose.”

_ “That’s the Beta you need to be,” another voice chimed in – Kal Skirata’s deep bass. “People want to think they can control your future, but that choice is ultimately up to you. It’s okay to walk away when the time is right and listen to something else.” _

That was what she needed to hear. Beta closed her eyes and tuned out the other voices screaming for her attention. She searched for what always helped her, even without her being conscious of it: the Force itself, not just someone else’s interpretation. Turning on her heel, she marched away.

Deep in her soul, she became aware of what she could only describe as singing, and it pulled her farther and farther into the cave. Her eyes scanned the rows of crystals desperately until…  _ there.  _ A faint orange glow was visible a few feet away. Beta picked up the kyber crystal and turned it over and over in her hand. The longer she held it, the more vibrant the fire-orange color became. She felt a sense of triumph unlike anything she had experienced before and held it above her head for a few moments. Right then and there, she swore to herself she would always seek the Force for herself and not bend to the conflicting interpretations of others.

~

When Beta emerged from the cave, Obi-Wan was waiting for her with his arms crossed.

“Well? Let’s see it,” he greeted, leaning in eagerly.

She held out the crystal for the Jedi Master to see. He was predictably taken aback by the orange color.

“I knew you would have an unusual color – perhaps yellow like Bastila Shan or purple like Master Windu – but orange? The Council will be most intrigued. This is not a color recorded in the Jedi Archives.”

“Perhaps the Archives are incomplete.”

“You know, I said the same thing to Jocasta Nu when Kamino didn’t show up in the Archives. She told me I was wrong.”

“Maybe Jocasta Nu should pay a visit to Kamino and create an entry for herself.” The pair shared a chuckle, then exited the temple, closed the entrance, and boarded the  _ Crucible _ . 

Professor Huyang, an ancient Mark IV architect droid, swooped down upon Beta the moment she stepped onboard. “Well, well, well, what does this Force-user bring me today? Have I mentioned how unusual it is for the Jedi to let an untrained Force-sensitive utilize me?”

Obi-Wan stroked his chin. “There seems to be a lot of  _ unusual _ going on with this trip, Professor Huyang. Show him your crystal, Beta.”

Beta held out her hand. The crystal was now a deep burnt orange color. 

The droid leaned in as close as it could. “In all my years of instruction, I’ve never seen anything quite like this. A fire-orange kyber crystal! The only known orange crystals are kohlen crystals, which appear to be kyber on the surface, but their make-up is quite different than what the Jedi use. What kind of test you had to undergo in the caves, I wonder…”

She glanced back at Obi-Wan anxiously before speaking. “I saw several people, from the dark side and the light. They were trying to control my destiny. I made a choice to walk away and find my own path.”

“Curious,” he said lightly, even though she could tell he was deep in thought.

“What do you foresee your lightsaber hilt looking like? Simple? Ornate?” Professor Huyang asked. “I normally don’t encourage vanity, but I wouldn’t frown on something fancier for a crystal this unique.”

Beta pulled what appeared to be a hollow metal rod from her pocket. “If you don’t mind, I brought something of my own.” 

Obi-Wan leaned in to examine the metal. “Is that what I think it is?”

“By the stars!” the droid exclaimed. “This is a  _ beskar’gam _ steel hilt. Where did you come by this?”

“A mentor gave it to me before I came on the trip.” She knew Kenobi would understand she meant Kal Skirata.

“Yes, this should work well for the crystal casing,” said Huyang. “Perhaps we should finish it with an onyx emitter. Simple design it is!”

The teenager noticed Kenobi becoming increasingly pensive, but she was distracted by the droid gathering the materials for her. Obi-Wan assumed the role of Jedi Master and stood over her while she reached out with the Force to guide the lightsaber components to their proper place. After what seemed like several hours of intense concentration, the pieces assembled themselves and the weapon fell into her hands. 

Beta stared at the hilt in awe, turning it over and over and examining it from every angle. The tarnished steel and black colors suited her tastes. She took a deep breath before pushing the ignition button. A deep orange blade sprang from the emitter. Both Kenobi and Professor Huyang stepped back instinctively when she waved the blade around slowly.

“How does it feel?” asked Obi-Wan.

“It feels… like it’s part of me.”

“Good, good. Would you have known the difference if it wasn’t your saber?”

“Yes. I would. When I was on Kamino, right before I left, Jango let me use a lightsaber in a simulation – which, I realize now, was orchestrated by Count Dooku. The weapon felt wrong, though. Like it was tainted. Even the lightsaber I used in the arena was… off.”

Obi-Wan put his hand on her shoulder as soon as she turned it off. “You have a clouded path ahead of you, Beta, filled with many choices that will test your integrity and wisdom. I can’t prescribe the Jedi way because it’s not who you are. All I can do is teach you the ways of the Force, and hope you don’t fall to the dark side.”

“I wouldn’t ask anything more from you, Master Kenobi. This Force – whatever it is – needs to be reined in before I lose control accidentally.”

The comm system buzzed on the console. Beta hooked her lightsaber to her belt, admiring the way it looked swinging on her hip.

“General Regant? Will you be joining me?”

She looked up at Obi-Wan, nodding firmly. Time to get to work.


	8. The Lake Country

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Beta and Ahsoka are given a new assignment on Naboo - along with an unexpected guest.

**Five Months Later**

**~**

_ “General Regant, your presence is requested on the bridge…” _

If Beta had a credit for the number of times she heard that phrase every day, there would be no need for her to fight in a war; instead, she would move to Scarif and retire comfortably. She wiped the exhaustion from her eyes, tightened her steel gauntlets, and strapped on her weapons belt before leaving her quarters.

The clones, naval and ground officers alike, saluted her as she cut through the corridors rapidly. Upon arriving in the command center, she saw Anakin tapping his foot impatiently, Obi-Wan stroking his beard pensively, and Anakin’s apprentice, Ahsoka Tano, looking unsure of the atmosphere around the table.

“Sleep much, General Regant?” Skywalker said sarcastically.

“You could use a little sleep yourself,” retorted Beta. 

Obi-Wan waved his hand in a calming motion. “Children, let’s focus on the task at hand.” Both Anakin and Beta deflated at his patronizing tone. “We need to protect Senator Amidala from an assassination attempt on Naboo. We suspect Separatist involvement. She’s currently holed up in her home in the Lake Country.”

“I’ll go, Master,” said Anakin immediately. “I know the area well.”

“Hmmm. Actually, we need you to investigate a Separatist plot on Malastare involving Podracing, another area of expertise I believe you’re familiar with.”

The look of genuine surprise on Anakin’s face was followed swiftly by eagerness, then indignation. “So you’re sending Beta? Senator Amidala trusts  _ me _ .”

“Beta’s not going alone. Ahsoka will be with her.”

Now it was Ahsoka’s turn to exhibit shock. “You’re sending me on a mission without Anakin?”

“Yeah! You’re sending her on a mission without me?” Anakin ad libbed. “I mean… not that I don’t trust you, Snips…”

Ahsoka rolled her eyes. “Thanks, Master…”

“This is training for both of you,” explained Obi-Wan. “We don’t always get to travel with who we want.”

“I’ll say.” Anakin gave Beta a sideways glance, which she ignored.

“You’ll depart immediately, then, Anakin. I want a word with Beta and Ahsoka before they leave.”

“Yes, Obi-Wan. And Beta, so help me if anything happens to my apprentice on your mission –”

“I have a feeling she can handle herself, Skywalker. Have fun Podracing.”

“May the Force be with you, Master,” called Ahsoka. Anakin nodded curtly, spun on his heel, and walked away. 

Beta whistled softly under her breath. “Anyone else get the feeling he’s not my biggest fan?” 

Kenobi nodded. “Well, from his perspective, you haven’t earned your title because you’re not a Jedi.”

“And what’s your perspective, Master Kenobi?”

“You have more right to be here than any of us. You grew up with these clones and they respect you as a leader.”

Ahsoka cocked her head slightly. “I would love to hear more about how you grew up on Kamino, General Regant. I think people who don’t know how you came to be here will doubt you the most.”

“The Padawan is right,” Kenobi conceded. “Very wise. I chose the both of you for this mission because you can learn from each other. Plus, Anakin’s friendship with Padmé tends to cloud his judgment on missions involving her. We need objective people on this assignment.”

“Will we be taking any clones with us?” asked Beta.

“No clones this time. They would draw too much attention. We’ll be sending you in a shuttle instead.”

“Yes, Master. When do we leave?”

“Why are you still here?”

The group shared a chuckle before Beta and Ahsoka departed. 

~

Ahsoka’s attitude toward Beta remained understandably cautious during their preparation for the mission, but she couldn’t hide her curiosity while she gathered supplies. She snuck furtive glances at the general, watching Beta take care cleaning her blaster rifles and pistols and only wiping down her lightsaber as an afterthought. The general’s astromech, C1-10P, hummed and whirred while she worked. 

“Look, Chop, this is an important mission. No shenanigans this time,” ordered Beta. 

“Having fun with your droid?”

“Oh, he’s a feisty one, that’s for sure,” Beta answered, to which Chopper head-butted her leg. “I guess that’s why I keep him around. Keeps me on my toes.”

The Togruta chuckled. “Artoo is the same way with Anakin. One day, I’ll understand their relationship.”

“Got what you need?”

“Waiting on you, General.”

Beta twirled her blaster and holstered it, then clipped her saber onto her belt and shoulder her knapsack. Finally, they walked to the docking bay to find Rex and Cord waiting for them. Chopper followed dutifully behind them.

Rex nodded warmly at the group. “Off to defeat more Separatists? They’ve got a doozy coming, that’s for sure.”

“We’ll see what we find, Rex,” Ahsoka said. “It may not be Separatists – who knows? But protecting the Senator is a way of protecting the Republic, so that’s when they call us in.”

“General,” Cord cut in, “you received a message from Sergeant Skirata just now. He requested you see him upon your earliest return to Coruscant.”

“Kal?” Beta had to catch herself from calling him  _ Kal’buir _ in front of her companions. “That’s odd. Did he say the nature of his request?”

“Only that it was for your ears only.”

“Thank you, Commander. I’ll respond directly to him.”

“I’m afraid you can’t do that, General. He’s on a deep undercover mission and he can’t risk anyone on our end trying to reach him.”

“Deep undercover, eh? And he didn’t invite me. I’m hurt.”

“Well, you do have a tendency to draw unwanted attention just by existing, so I don’t blame him.” Cord added a wink at the end of this. Ahsoka raised an eyebrow, but Beta chuckled, knowing exactly what he was referring to by  _ unwanted attention. _ “Hope you have a safe mission.”

“Yeah… me too. May the Force be with you both.”

Ahsoka casually saluted the captain and the commander farewell and followed Beta onto the transport. Instead of sitting in the pilot’s seat, the general took the co-pilot’s chair. Chopper stood right in between them both.

“Um.” Ahsoka’s level of awkwardness reverberated through the Force. “Aren’t you supposed to fly because you’re the general?”

“Not today. Kenobi wouldn’t have sent you if he didn’t think I would let you have a little more leeway than Anakin.”

“Well, then. If you’re going to let me pilot, then maybe you can tell me about where you came from because you’re not concentrating on flying.”

Beta yawned deeply. “Now’s definitely not the time because… as  _ soon _ as we hit hyperspace… I’m passing out.” 

“You have been sleeping a lot. Any time we get a free moment, which isn’t often, but… every time you do, you go straight to bed.”

“I’m up for twenty hours at a time. A well-rested mind provides a Jedi – or a Force-user – a better chance of seeing clearly.”

“Fair point. Any time I think I’m going to get a good night’s sleep, I have to do drills or practice meditating with Master Skywalker.”

The younger teenager’s face softened a tad. She knew what that felt like. “You know what? Get some rest when we make the jump. You probably need it more than I do.”

“Really?” Ahsoka beamed. “Thanks, General.”

“Sure, knock yourself out. Literally.”

~

Silence reigned in the cabin as Ahsoka slept and the shuttle glided through hyperspace. Beta turned on the command console’s facial recognition software and stuck a data card into the appropriate slot. A photo of Boba Fett popped up on the screen. She stared at it for a few long moments before beginning the search for his face. Maybe he would pop up in an arrest record or as a casualty of war. No news was good news at this point.

Even if she did find him, what was she supposed to say?  _ Sorry I ran off with the folks who killed your parents – I was looking out for myself. Like you would.  _ That conversation would end as soon as she started it. 

Beta hadn’t revealed the real reason she slept so much: the dreams she saw as she slept were all too realistic to simply be brushed aside as normal, everyday occurrences. When she closed her eyes, she was transported to another time and place. Some visions were happy and serene; others were filled with dread and pain. She couldn’t help but to dwell on them when she was awake.

_ Beta was standing on a wide open plain surrounded by battle droids on one side and clone troopers on the other. All of them were pointing their weapons at her. She looked down at her feet and saw Jedi lying dead on the ground all around her. A sinister voice echoed, “Not her… Bring her to me…” _

This particular dream haunted her on a recurring basis. Others found her in far less troublesome environments.

_ Birds chirped around her in a dark green forest. The sun shone through the branches overhead to cover Beta in a ray of light where she sat on the forest floor. Here, she could rest and meditate. She felt safe and secure, where nothing could find her, not even the darkness that chased her… _

Just thinking about her visions, dreams, or nightmares – whatever they were called – made her feel tired enough to fall asleep just so she could see more and dissect them when she awoke. To combat the exhaustion, Beta activated a seeker droid for lightsaber drills after shutting off the search for Boba. The saber hilt slid into her hand naturally; its ignition always sent chills down her spine. 

The droid would raise and lower itself at random, which proved difficult for her to keep up with the naked eye. She got pecked by a couple blaster bolts before she settled down enough to reach out and feel where the floating orb would move. It helped to blindfold her eyes because following the droid move for move slowed her reflexes.

Parry. Block. Flip. Block. Jump. The bolts she blocked were absorbed by her blade. Beta allowed herself to slip into the battle flow trance she experienced during combat simulations. It was cathartic to her – just her and the seeker. 

_ “Whoa.”  _ Ahsoka’s seemed far away, but it snapped Beta back to reality. “You’re glowing again.”

The general deactivated the training droid and her lightsaber. “Again? Damn.” Chopper let out a chuckling whir.

“I heard Master Kenobi talk about your tendency to… light up a room. He said it was a rather impressive display of a meditative frame of mind while you’re fighting. I wish I had that.”

Beta saw her reflection in the cockpit windshield. She didn’t recognize herself with the aura around her. “I don’t even look like myself. I feel the same as I used to when I would train on Kamino, but… maybe knowing I have the Force changed how it manifests itself?”

“I’d be interested to see what Master Yoda has to say about it.”

It was a relief to see the Force glow dissipate as her heart rate settled. 

Ahsoka checked the navicomputer to see their progress. “We should be arriving on Naboo soon. What’s our gameplan?”

“Well. I think we shouldn’t make our presence on Naboo known to anyone except the senator unless the situation escalates beyond her home in the Lake Country. The more closed this investigation is, the better. What are your thoughts, Commander?”

“I agree. I’m sure Senator Amidala will find a way to get her hands dirty while this plays out. Master Skywalker has told me some pretty fascinating stories about her.”

“You’re right on that front. I met her when we were both chained to a pole on Geonosis – more accurately, I was chained to a pole with Obi-Wan and Anakin, and she had already managed to free herself and climb to the top of the pole.”

The pair shared a laugh just as the shuttle dropped out of hyperspace. 

~

Naboo was a small but beautiful planet with brilliant blue, green, and white colors painting its surface in space. Ahsoka expertly guided the shuttle to the coordinates for Senator Amidala’s country home. Beta spent the descent trying to look more casual than her typical battle garb allowed, opting for a sleeveless hooded overtunic, a long-sleeved undertunic, pants, and mid-rise boots with sand wraps covering her calves. Her hand hovered over her gauntlets, apparently thinking twice about donning them – but she took a deep breath and fastened them to her forearms anyway.

“Look, the Senator’s waiting for us,” pointed out Ahsoka. 

Beta peered out of the window to see Amidala standing at the edge of the landing platform with her head of security, Captain Typho. “Welcome wagon is here, too.”

“You can trust Captain Typho. Anakin told me he’s a good guy.”

She didn’t say it out loud, but this made Beta mistrust Typho immediately. “If he’s so trustworthy, why do people keep getting past her security to assassinate her?”

“That’s what we’re here to find out, I guess.”

The shuttle landed on the platform, and both Ahsoka and Beta strapped their weapons on before disembarking. 

“General?”

“Yes, Commander?”

“Can I ask a favor?”

“You just did, but I’m guessing you’ve got another one coming.”

“Please remember I’m not a clone. I’m a Padawan. Taking orders goes over differently with me.”

Beta turned her head to study Ahsoka. “I know that, but it does help to be reminded. Even though I outrank you, any strategies should be a discussion, not a flat-out order. I do need to ask you to respect my decision once it has been discussed, whether you agree with it or not.”

“Easier said than done, but – I concur.”

They shook hands on it as the ramp lowered to the ground. Senator Amidala came forward to greet them while they disembarked with Chopper at their heels, a warm smile on her face. “Welcome to Naboo, General Regant and Padawan Tano. I’m glad to see the Chancellor responded swiftly to my request for an investigation.”

“Senator Amidala.” Beta dipped her head in greeting. “Thank you for having us, and I’m glad to see you’re safe. This is my droid, Chopper. He’s cranky but he’s loyal as they come.” She was still getting used to the dynamics of politics in war. Everything on Kamino had been clear-cut: you received an order, you carried it out because it was the right thing to do. Here in the Clone Wars, however, a politician’s whims could lead to disaster. 

Ahsoka followed suit in her salutation. “We’re at your disposal, Senator. Any information or clues you have that could aid in our investigation are appreciated.”

Padmé seemed unsurprised with the circumstances. “Honestly, it was nothing I haven’t seen before. A poison dart barely missed me when I was visiting the queen. I tried to tell the Chancellor this, but he insisted on _another_ investigation.”

“He has Naboo’s best interests at heart,” Beta said in her most diplomatic tone. “It’s his home planet and he knows having you alive and well is good for the people. Have you noticed anything unusual about your stay here?” Beta continued.

“Nothing at all. If I think of anything, I’ll be sure to let you know. Just your average Senatorial assassination attempt and safehouse stay. You’ll be quite comfortable here until you get called back to duty.”

Beta’s level of discomfort in her surroundings increased. She had been prepared to sleep on the shuttle, which would have been more familiar than a king-sized bed and attendants. Ahsoka readily let a female staff member in simple robes lead her into the mansion.

“General Regant. A word, please?” the senator asked in a firm voice.

“Of course, Senator.”

~

Padmé led Beta to one of the balconies overlooking a beautiful island. “It’s been some time since Geonosis. Not exactly my favorite way to meet someone. Speaking as someone who was a queen at fourteen years old, how is it being a general at thirteen?”

“It’s what I was raised to be. I have no trouble earning respect among the clones; it’s the Jedi I’m having difficulty with. I did want to ask you, though – how did you end up on Geonosis with Anakin?”

“There was an attempt on my life, so Anakin was assigned to protect me while Obi-Wan investigated the assassination. We heard he got captured and we decided to try to rescue him. It didn’t exactly go as planned.” 

Padmé observed Beta’s mannerisms during their conversation. The teenager maintained eye contact with the senator for the most part, but her eyes darted around to take in her surroundings every two or three seconds. She leaned lightly against the railing with her feet in a stance that would be ready to spring into action if needed. And her accent’s odd inflections, which matched those of the clone troopers’, were slowly adapting to a more clipped tone.

“What, ending up sentenced to die in the arena wasn’t part of your plan?”

“No, and I’m guessing it wasn’t part of your vacation on Geonosis, either.”

Beta huffed.  _ “Vacation _ is one word I definitely wouldn’t use to describe being swept away from Kamino and handed over to a Sith Lord against my will. He wanted to train me, but I said no, and thus… I got thrown into the arena too.”

“Your reputation for leading successful campaigns has not gone unnoticed in the Senate. Chancellor Palpatine is taking note as well. You could do great things in the Senate if you stayed on Coruscant after the war ends.”

“Is that why I’m here, Senator? Are you going to try to hire me after the war?” 

“We’ll see which way the war goes. The longer the fighting continues, the more I see the power of democracy slipping away.”

“The more people keeping tabs on me, the more uncomfortable I feel. You’re not the only person who is interested in my post-military career.”

Padmé assumed a diplomatic air. “You’re in a unique position. Almost every Jedi Master who survived Geonosis, plus the Separatists, saw what you could do with the Force even though you aren’t a Jedi. They also saw your command presence among the clones. You chose to escape with the Jedi and clones, making an instant enemy of the Separatists. But I feel like you do not want to give your allegiance to any faction. If other people sense this, they will mistrust you.”

“You’d be correct, Senator.”

“Please, call me Padmé.”

“Only if you call me Beta.”

“I’m sure you’ve had a long journey and I don’t want to keep you from resting.” Padmé waved one of her staff members over to escort Beta to her room. “I’ll see you at sundown for dinner.”

The bedroom they gave Beta was lavish compared to her apartment on Kamino but plain by Naboo standards. She wished Kal and the Nulls could see her now and imagined what their deriding remarks would be. 

She set to work polishing Chopper, who was none too pleased he was getting the grease wiped off of him. There was a light tap on her door, followed by Ahsoka’s voice. “General Regant?”

“Come in, Ahsoka.”

The Padawan entered the room. “I think it would be a good idea for us to canvas the grounds to see where an assassin may have been able to slip in. And it would be a chance for us to see the views that Anakin keeps talking about.”

“I agree. Ready for some sightseeing, Chop?” 

The droid signaled its agreement. Beta was glad for an excuse to get out of her room, so she followed Ahsoka outside with her astromech right behind her.

They found a path that wound a perimeter around the mansion. Once they got to a good vantage point, both Beta and Ahsoka pulled out their macrobinoculars and began scanning the entry points and walls for any weaknesses.

“Guards at every entrance… guards patrolling the walls… well, an assassin’s certainly not getting into the house unless they’re one of us or they work here,” noted Ahsoka. “Where else could an assassin get in?”

Frowning, Beta lowered her binoculars. “Depends on the type of assassin. If the assassin has the Force, couldn’t they use a mind trick like Master Kenobi to get in? Or if it’s a combat unit, they might try to attack from above. An aerial assault is the only way someone could get in if they don’t have the Force. I think we need to ask the senator what her daily routine is and maybe we can figure out a way to set bait for the assassin.”

“Master Skywalker wouldn’t like to hear that you’re using her as bait.”

“I seem to recall – and correct me if I’m wrong – he has a tendency to allow her to use herself as bait.”

Ahsoka allowed herself a genuine laugh. “Your powers of observation are amazing.”

“Yeah, just don’t tell him I made you laugh. He might get jealous.” Beta took this moment to not focus on the mission but take in the landscape instead. “Anakin was right about the views, though. This place is like the paradise I never knew I needed to see.” 

When she said those words, the sense of purpose given to her by the war was shaken to its core. Kamino was by no means a resort planet, and the worlds she traveled to for the war were often desolate with rough terrain and rural villages. The stunning beauty of Naboo made Beta yearn for a day when the fighting was over and she could choose where and when she wanted to go.

“Ahsoka – what would you do if you weren’t a Jedi?” she asked suddenly.

The Padawan was understandably taken aback by the question. “Me? Not a Jedi? I never really thought about it. It’s all I’ve ever known.”

“How old were you when you were brought to the Temple?” 

“Master Plo found me when I three.”

Beta couldn’t help but laugh. “So you had your life chosen for you when you were three. Just like me. Imagine if Master Plo had taken you to Kamino instead of Coruscant. You might’ve ended up a general when you were thirteen too.”

Ahsoka and Beta stood silently overlooking the lake house grounds for several minutes, simply appreciating the tranquil beauty. The Togruta was the first to break the quiet.

“General, every time the clones talk about you, they speak with such respect. How did you earn that?”

“They speak of me with the respect of a peer. I only wear the title of general because the Jedi Council needs to keep an eye on me.”

“What does that feel like?”

“It’s suffocating. Everywhere I turn, someone is always there to second-guess me simply because I’m not a Jedi.”

“Being a Padawan isn’t much better.” Ahsoka’s holocommunicator buzzed insistently, cutting the conversation short. She turned it on to find Captain Typho’s holographic display staring back at her. 

_ “Padawan Tano and General Regant. Dinner will be served shortly. We would be honored if you would join us for refreshments on the patio.” _

“We’ll be there shortly, Captain.”

~

“Emerald wine, General Regant?”

Beta inspected the drink the server offered her with a raised eyebrow. She was very conscious of Ahsoka watching to see what her decision would be. “I’ll pass, thanks. Do you have any caf?”

“Certainly.”

She accepted the steaming beverage from another waiter. Padmé glided over to her in a backless dress, holding a glass of wine. “Not your typical mission, is it?”

“This is completely normal. Just add a little dirt, a lot of running, and an army of battle droids, and we’re golden.”

The senator shrugged. “I’m sure that could be arranged at a future date.”

The party moved from the patio to the dining room. As Padmé, Ahsoka, and Beta took their seats, another figure entered.

“Hope I’m not late.” Anakin Skywalker strode confidently to the table and took a seat next to Padmé. 

Both Beta and Ahsoka froze. Chopper bent his arms and rested his hands on his dome in a frustrated manner. This was an unexpected turn of events, and an unwelcome one because it showed he mistrusted them enough to disobey orders and abandon his assignment. Still, neither dared say anything in front of Padmé or Captain Typho. Padmé looked happy to see him with a little confusion mixed in with the expression on her face.

“Anakin! This is a nice surprise,” she greeted. “I wasn’t aware you were assigned to the investigation too. Chancellor Palpatine specifically requested General Regant —”

“Probably because he thought I wasn’t available,” Skywalker replied arrogantly. “But I can always make time for you.” He then turned to Ahsoka and Beta with a smirk. “Plus I didn’t feel right about letting them hog all the fun.”

“Except maybe when we’re having all the fun under orders…” Beta muttered under her breath. Anakin raised his eyebrow just enough to let her know he heard her. 

The house attendants brought out another place setting for Anakin and began distributing the plated food. Beta had never seen a meal so decadent. 

“So, what’d they feed you on Kamino, General?” asked Padmé to ease the tension. 

“Nothing quite so spectacular as this. Mostly porridge and mealgrain. I ate nutrition sticks during training hours. Nothing like what they serve in the Temple refectories.”

She caught another sideways glance from Anakin, this one with more sympathy… or was it empathy? Obi-Wan had told her about how he had been raised as a slave on Tatooine before a chance encounter in Mos Espa with a Jedi, a queen, a Gungan, and an R2 unit had sealed his fate to be trained as a Jedi. Instead of asking about his childhood, though, Beta changed the subject to the purpose of their mission. “Senator, as the lead investigator assigned to your case, I need to ask that you remain indoors tonight. Ahsoka and I canvassed the grounds and it seems the only way in is from the sky. I’ll be patrolling the grounds throughout the night.”

Ahsoka cleared her throat.  _ “We’ll  _ be patrolling the grounds.”

_ “You’ll _ be getting in some drills with me, my young Padawan,” ordered Anakin.

“But, Master —”

“It’s okay, Ahsoka. I can handle the patrols.” Something still didn’t sit right with Beta even after the decision was made, but Anakin seemed eager to redirect the conversation elsewhere, so she shrugged it off.


	9. Dooku’s Ploy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The mission on Naboo takes a sinister turn when the ulterior motive for Senator Amidala’s assassination attempt is revealed.

Stillness blanketed the lake house when darkness fell. Beta could hear the lightsaber clashes of Anakin and Ahsoka in the distance. What if she had been taken to the Jedi Temple when she was a youngling, she wondered? Would she be as mission-driven like she was now? Or headstrong like Ahsoka?

“General?” Padmé’s voice called. 

“Senator Amidala. Is everything alright?”

“Yes, everything is fine. I just wanted you to know I wasn’t expecting Anakin to show up.”

“It was a surprise, yes… to both me and Ahsoka. He’s not following orders by coming here. He was supposed to be on Malastare.”

“He’s still the Anakin I remember, then.”

The conversation lapsed. Beta’s brow furrowed; the uneasy feeling she had was like a pebble in her boot. “Senator… I may have misheard you at dinner, but did you say Chancellor Palpatine  _ requested _ me to take the lead on the investigation?”

“Yes, I —”

A streak of smoke across the sky caught Beta’s eye. A small shuttle was flying through the air above them, just low enough for her to tell it wasn’t a Republic ship. Beta followed its path until it vanished over the closest ridge.

Beta immediately ushered Padmé inside, then commed Anakin. “General Skywalker, do you copy?”

“I saw it, too. We’ll check it out together. Typho can watch Padmé.”

“Copy that.” Beta turned and told Chopper, “I’ll be back. Take care of Padmé while I’m gone.”

Chopper saluted her and began following the senator’s every step, much to her chagrin. After quickly comming Captain Typho for assistance, Beta took off running towards the landing site with lightsaber and blaster in hand. She fell into stride beside Anakin and Ahsoka.

“What took you so long?” demanded Anakin in a half-joking manner.

“My job!”

Together, the three Force-users sprinted up the hill, slowing down and crouching when they were about to reach the crest. 

“Door’s still closed. Maybe they’re still inside,” Ahsoka said. 

Beta’s insides squirmed. “I have a bad feeling about this. I feel… cold all of a sudden.”

Anakin looked at her quizzically. “The dark side? Is that what you’re sensing?”

“Maybe. I’m going to take a closer look. Stay here unless something happens.” She crept closer to the starcraft, reached out with the Force, and opened the hatch.

All she had time to sense was a finger pulling a trigger before she threw herself out of the way of a stun bolt. The blast was followed by a thin woman leaping from the shuttle with two red lightsabers blazing. Another figure emerged, a Gen’Dai covered entirely in armor and standing almost three meters tall. Beta jumped back to her feet and drew her lightsaber.

“Well, well, well, if it isn’t the Jedi’s pet,” the woman sneered. “Kenobi let you wander off alone?”

“Asajj!” Beta growled. Her lightsaber was now ignited and held aloft in one of the defensive positions Obi-Wan taught her. 

By now, Anakin and Ahsoka were dashing to join her. “She’s not alone!” yelled Ahsoka.

“Oh, now it’s almost a fair fight,” the Gen’Dai said, circling them. “I hate Jedi almost as much as I hate Mandalorians, so killing all of you will make my day.”

Tightening her grip on her lightsaber, Beta felt a thrill of anger. “I don’t believe we’ve had the pleasure of meeting. I’m General Beta Regant of the Grand Army of the Republic.”

“Durge,” was the curt response, “not that it matters.”

“I assume you had something to do with the assassination attempt on Senator Amidala’s life?” demanded Ahsoka.

Asajj Ventress chuckled. “What kind of planetary welcoming committee is this? We just landed and you’re already accusing us of attempted murder. You’d be right, of course. But  _ hospitality _ . Consider it next time.”

“Not really my thing,” Anakin scoffed – right before he engaged Ventress with his lightsaber, followed closely by his apprentice. 

Durge started firing rapidly at Beta, edging closer and closer to her. She deflected several bolts, dodged others, and tried to fire off some of her own shots with her blaster. The bounty hunter drew close enough to her to shove her back several feet towards the damaged shuttle. In a bold attempt to regain ground, she vaulted into a front flip over his head –

His fist landed a stunning blow into her rib cage. Beta’s breath left her body twice: once when his fist made impact, the second when she face-planted into the ground. In her head, she could hear Kal’s voice:  _ “Get  _ up,  _ Commander Regant. You’re not done yet.” _

Her eyes regained focus in time for her to throw a blast of Force energy at Durge before he could shoot her. It didn’t knock him back as far as she had hoped, but it bought her time to scramble to her feet. She wasn’t paying attention to the battle between Asajj, Anakin, and Ahsoka; she only heard the taunts the assassin threw at the master and apprentice. 

And now it was Durge’s time to jeer. “You fight like a Mandalorian, but you’ve got a Jedi’s weapon. Having an identity crisis?”

“Only every day, bounty hunter. You forgot ‘General in the Grand Army of the Republic’!”

“Well, give me a few minutes and I’d be happy to relieve you of all three titles.” 

Beta dropped into her defensive stance, with her lightsaber above her head and pointed at her opponent; her blaster was held out in front and aimed in the same direction. What she didn’t see was Asajj using her distraction with Durge to Force-throw Beta away from the battle – straight through the door of the Separatist shuttle. 

“General, get out of there!” yelled Anakin in alarm. Ventress and Durge were backing up towards the shuttle; it was clear they had who they came for, and it wasn’t Senator Amidala. 

Asajj threw a handful of thermal detonators on the ground between the Jedi and the shuttle. Ahsoka was already running full-speed towards the shuttle, however. Beta saw the danger and used the Force to halt her mid-stride, just enough for the landmine to explode and send her flying backwards and away from the aircraft instead of disintegrating her immediately. Durge and Asajj boarded the transport and closed the door, along with Beta’s chances of escape.

Anakin and Ahsoka watched the shuttle take off and disappear into the sky. Both were taken aback at the turn of events.

“She saved my life,” Ahsoka said quietly, “even when she knew she was going to be taken.”

Shaking his head, Skywalker recognized the gnawing sensation in his stomach. “I have a bad feeling about this. Obi-Wan always said the reason the Jedi Council promoted her was to give her more protection from being taken by the Separatists. I just wish I knew why they think she’s so special.”

~

Beta crouched against the wall of the transport, watching her kidnappers with narrowed eyes. They had just made the jump to hyperspace. She still had her weapons on her; that at least counted for something.

“There’s no use resisting, little general,” said Asajj smoothly. “Once Dooku gets ahold of you, you’ll wish you’d never been born.” She started Force-choking Beta. The teenager resisted the urge to grasp at her throat and thereby yield her weapons, but Durge was already yanking them from her hands. Ventress let her fall to the ground once she was disarmed.

It was then that the pain started for Beta and didn’t stop for days on end. Try as she might, she was unable to dodge more than the first few blows the giant bounty hunter threw at her. Before long, she lay coughing on the ground, nursing several broken ribs and a broken arm. 

“That was almost  _ too  _ easy,” Ventress mocked. She knelt down next to the prisoner. “I don’t know why Dooku is so obsessed with capturing you before you’ve reached your full potential.”

“You’re fooling yourself if you think he’s going to turn me… He already tried and failed…”

“He was on a tight timeline,” was the casual response. 

Durge stomped over to grab Beta by the scruff of her neck. “We’ve got a couple hours before we get to Serenno. What should we do with her?”

While they bickered about how to handle their captive, Beta Force-pulled her lightsaber into her hand and attempted to slash Durge’s hand off – only to realize too late that his armor was impervious to saber strikes. The attack did surprise him, causing him to drop her. Ventress didn’t bother igniting her own set of lightsabers; instead, she watched lazily while Beta and Durge circled each other. 

“You’re really starting to annoy me, General,” Durge spat. 

Beta chuckled despite herself. “I annoy myself on a daily basis, so join the club.” 

He drew a long sword from a scabbard on his back and was about to swing it at her before Asajj stunned Beta with her own blaster. “As much as I would love to see you too go at it again, I don’t really want this shuttle destroyed with us in it.”

Durge put a pair of binders on Beta’s immobile figure and spread duratape over her mouth. “Hope the stunner keeps her under for the entire ride.”

Ventress fired one more stun bolt at Beta. “That should do the trick.”

~

Obi-Wan was just starting to think today might be a good day. He was starting to plot out a strategy to counter a Separatist takeover of Ryloth when the bridge holocommunicator sprang to life.

_ “Master Kenobi,”  _ Anakin greeted, but his manner was rushed.  _ “I’m on Naboo with Ahsoka –” _

“You’re  _ where?” _

_ “Naboo. Yeah, I know I’m supposed to be on Malastare, but that can wait. We were just attacked by Asajj Ventress and Durge –” _

“Is the Senator alright? Where is General Regant?”

_ “Padmé – er, Senator Amidala – is fine, but I don’t think she was the target. It was a trap for Beta. They took her.” _

Kenobi’s exclamation of alarm made Anakin wince. “How in the blazes did they pull that off?”

Ahsoka stepped into view.  _ “It all happened so fast, Master Kenobi. Ventress threw her into the shuttle and I tried to get her out, but the general pushed me back when she saw I was about to run over a landmine. She saved my life.” _

“Any idea where they’re going? We need to get her back immediately!”

_ “We’ll do our best, Master. If you don’t mind me asking, why is it so important to keep her from the Separatists?” _

“For one, she knows too much about the army, and two, Dooku is determined to turn her to the dark side. His interest in her borders on obsessive. Something about the Force power she has is alluring to him.”

_ “She can’t be all that special… can she?” _

“Mind your feelings, Anakin. They betray your jealousy. Don’t forget that you were granted admittance into the Jedi Order well past the standard age, something they didn’t grant her.”

_ “You’re right. I’m sorry, Master.” _

“Dooku is the reason Beta was raised in the clone army, and the reason she ended up on Geonosis with us. Why she was brought to Kamino in the first place is beyond me, though.”

Anakin’s holographic image pinched the bridge of his nose.  _ “Any ideas of where to start looking for her? Or who can help?”  _

“Oh, I think you won’t have any problems getting help from the clones…”

~

Dim light greeted Beta upon her waking from her stupor. She was suspended in a containment field, which was the only thing that illuminated her holding room. She felt like she had just finished a marathon-long morning run; the cramps in her calves and shortness of breath were familiar sensations. 

_ Okay, so you got yourself captured. What are you gonna do?  _ It was like Kal was in her ear, talking through the scenario with her during training on Kamino.

_ I’m not going to panic. Panic leads to poor judgment. I’m going to remain silent as long as I can. If I talk, I will deflect all questions and make snarky comments about my captor’s appearance or behavior until I figure out how to overpower them. I’m going to detach myself from the situation so that it’s not me who’s being interrogated, it’s someone else. I’m going to focus on the next event I can bear to think about, whether it’s the next moment, minute, hour, or day. _

_ What about when they strip you down to size and lay out all your demons on the table?  _ Skirata would push. 

Beta’s brain managed to formulate a response.  _ What demons? I don’t have any.  _

_ That’s a cute response.  _ Everyone  _ has demons. And Dooku will find a way to uncover them. _

She began to steel herself to what Dooku could possible use as blackmail against her. Her parents’ death: her fault. Betraying Boba by running off with the Jedi: low-hanging fruit. But on Geonosis, Dooku had never told her why he had kept her on Kamino, of all places. Beta sensed he knew more about her early years than he was letting on. All she could do now was meditate while she waited.

After what seemed like hours, the door to her holding room opened. Several Emdee droids rolled in. One began running diagnostic scans on her; another took blood samples from her arm. The last Emdee stood back and appraised her.

“The patient is in prime health and conditioning to begin her examination and operation,” it stated in its placid tone. “I’m unsure of how the patient’s condition will maintain as she undergoes the procedures. We must have life support on standby in order to keep her alive as long as Count Dooku sees fit.”

“What kind of procedures are you talking about?” demanded Beta. 

“Think of them as the ‘realizing your potential’ sort,” Dooku’s voice echoed. His straight-backed form appeared from the shadows; his gaze swept over her trapped form like a nexu circling its prey. “We meet again, Beta Regant.”

“Count Dooku. To what do I owe the pleasure of your... invitation?”

“This? This is for science. Your father knew a lot about science. It seemed he couldn’t quite separate his work from his family life, which is how you came into the picture.”

Beta remained silent, waiting for him to continue.

“How much do you know about your mother and her background?”

“What does my mother have anything to do with why you’re holding me captive?”

“Because your father only married her to have you. He used you as an experiment for my master’s master, Darth Plagueis. Have you ever heard of the Wellspring?”

“No, should I have?”

“The Wellspring, it is rumored, is a planet in the Deep Core of the galaxy. All life and midichlorians flow from the Wellspring and make their way into the galaxy. Your father took you there when you were three years old. A curious thing happened when you were on the planet. According to his report, he found a way to capture some of the midichlorians flowing out of the planet’s core – more than enough to give you 25,000 midichlorians per cell – and fed them to you with your usual meal.”

Beta fell silent as his words sunk in. Her father had used her as a science experiment?

Dooku continued his monologue. “Your father had a theory that if he could isolate the human DNA from the midichlorians, then cloning individuals who are artificially Force-sensitive would be no trouble at all, just another variable on top of the DNA. He saved your DNA prior to giving you the midichlorians but failed to collect the DNA after you had adjusted to the midichlorians in your system.

“I now have what your father couldn’t complete. Once we have created a sufficient strand of DNA to clone, we will drain you of everything you can give us. Then we will overrun the Kaminoan facilities and clone you instead of Jango Fett.”

“Well, thank you so much for revealing your evil plan to me. This will be interesting information to relay to the Jedi Council when I break out of here.” 

“You should have taken the offer to be my apprentice when you had the chance. Then this would have been a simple blood withdrawal and we would have continued on with your training. Instead, you chose the hard way.”

“Why didn’t you just have the Kaminoans take my blood and start cloning me when I was growing up in Kamino?”

Count Dooku paused for emphasis. “You had just created a Force storm that crashed your parents’ ship and killed them both. Your energies needed to be redirected towards productive work. The clone army provided that opportunity. Jango Fett was aware of your special gifts, which is why he trained you harder than any clone there. It seems to have paid off for you,  _ General  _ Regant.”

Beta’s cheeks flushed. “So what happens now? You leave me hanging here until you finish your experiment, then you toss me aside?”

“Oh, you won’t just be hanging out here. The Separatists have some questions for you.”

“I can hardly wait.”

~

True to his word, Count Dooku had her transported in cuffs to a command ship, where she was locked in an interrogation room and stripped down to her undertunic. The MagnaGuards accompanying her stood at a distance. A glimmer of hope that they were leaving Serenno behind flickered in the back of her head.

The door opened, and in stomped General Grievous. His towering figure was coughing and hacking, which put him in an even more irritable mood. The cyborg fixed his glare on Beta. “So this is the great General Beta Regant. You don’t seem so great now.”

“Give me an army of troops to command and you’ll see why I earned my reputation.”

“I see you stake your success on your ability to lead and inspire. You forget that fear and strength are important to leadership as well.” 

Despite the pain in her arm and ribcage, Beta stood tall. “So what did Dooku send you to collect from me? You’re something like a pet to him, right?”

The cyborg lashed out, taking a swipe at her with his heavy arm. She rolled under it and dove between his legs to the other side of the room. The MagnaGuards advanced on her with electrostaffs at the ready. Dodging the first few thrusts they threw at her, she flipped over their heads –

– Only to be shocked by her cuffs mid-flip. Beta fell to the ground, her muscles seizing up. The next thing she knew was both guards electrocuting her at once, followed closely by Grievous wrapping a tight fist around her throat. 

He pinned her to the wall with her feet dangling a few feet off the ground. “I don’t think you’ve experienced enough  _ fear _ in your life. I’m going to change that.”

“I-I don’t think y-you want to s-see what happens when I’m s-scared,” Beta coughed.

General Grievous scoffed. His other arm drew Beta’s lightsaber from his cloak and ignited the weapon. “This is a Jedi’s weapon, but you are not a Jedi. Just like me.” He held the lightsaber close enough to Beta’s face that it caused her to wince from the heat. “The Jedi gave you special privileges because you have the Force. What happens when Dooku takes it away from you? What will they do with you then?”

The teenager masked the flicker of uncertainty she felt, instead retorting, “And would you be any good to Dooku if he didn’t turn you into a – a  _ droid _ ?”

The enraged beating that followed those words made her almost regret saying them. Every time she tried to fight back, the cuffs shocked her. Before long, Beta was lying on the floor, bruised and battered. 

Grievous picked her limp body up by the back of her tunic. “And now, General Regant… let’s  _ talk.” _


	10. Foiled Ploy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Beta must try to refrain from revealing information that could compromise the Republic army while she is subject to General Grievous’ interrogation. Meanwhile, Kenobi recruits some old friends to aid in their rescue attempt.

How long it lasted, Beta didn’t know, but she remembered being fastened to a table in the interrogation room and subjected to mental and physical torture. The cuffs trapping her wrists and ankles morphed from what felt like rings of fire to sharp thorns digging into her skin to stun cuffs, rendering her incapable of moving a millimeter without intense pain. Interrogation droids buzzed around the table, stabbing her with needles in her pressure points when Grievous felt like she wasn’t hurting enough.

General Grievous questioned her ruthlessly for information on troop movements, base locations, and clearance codes. Kal had disciplined her to resist interrogation techniques. The exercises he’d put her through were nothing compared to the actual experience, though. To keep herself distracted from the agony, Beta replayed memories of her training on Kamino. Whenever Grievous asked her a question, she recited pages from her study materials: blaster and starship maintenance manuals, library books on various subjects, escape pod malfunction scenarios, not to mention the sarcastic quips when she could think of them… on and on it went until she talked herself hoarse. 

Punching the wall, the cyborg general let out an exclamation of frustration. It was his third time attempting to question her, but it had proven fruitless like the last two times. Beta’s tongue felt swollen and cracked from her lack of hydration.

_ “Sir, we have a single incoming Republic cruiser,” _ a tinny droid voice said over the intercom.  _ “No backup. Just the one cruiser.” _

Grievous towered over the table where Beta lay drifting in and out of consciousness. “What are they playing at, General Regant? Where is their back-up?”

A shock from the restraints went up and down her body to keep her alert. Beta blinked stupidly once the electricity ceased. “What was the question again?”

“The Jedi. They’re here.  _ What _ is their  _ plan _ ?”

“I d-don’t know what you’re t-talking about…”

“Well, I’ve been looking forward to testing a new weapon of mine. It is capable of disintegrating a whole Republic cruiser at full power. One cruiser with no back-up is the perfect opportunity, I think. Guards, take her to the bridge!” He turned away, cackling.

~

Beta acted like she was too weak to move so the droids didn’t bother cuffing her hands and were forced to drag her the entire way. Once they arrived on the bridge, the MagnaGuards dropped her on her knees in front of the viewport. Sure enough, there was the Republic cruiser, an all-too-familiar one. It was the  _ Negotiator,  _ Obi-Wan Kenobi’s flagship.

“Some rescue mission,” hacked General Grievous mockingly. He struck Beta across the face to make sure she was still conscious. “And  _ now _ , General Regant, you will start answering my questions, or I will blow the ship into oblivion, along with all of your precious clones and Jedi. What are the clearance codes for the Rishi outpost?”

Beta tried desperately to feel if Obi-Wan was on board the  _ Negotiator,  _ but her connection to the Force felt like a badly tuned commlink. “That’s  _ classified _ …”

“Power up the cannon!” the cyborg barked. 

“Cannon is charging, sir.”

The teenager’s heart rate increased along with her fear. As her fear grew, so did her connection to the Force and her strength. “Don’t do this,” she begged desperately. 

“Then tell me the codes!”

_ “No!” _

“The cannon is at fifty percent power,” interjected the weapons droid.

Intense fear coursed through Beta. She could almost see General Kenobi standing on the bridge making tactical decisions. Was he alone? Where were the other cruisers in his fleet? 

“Seventy-five percent —”

“Make up your mind, General. The clones or the codes?”

Tears trickled down her face from a combination of anxiety, fear, anger, pain, and hopelessness. Her body started quaking and her heart was pounding. Memories of Jango Fett’s head being lopped off by a lightsaber filled her mind; she couldn’t let Obi-Wan die in front of her eyes too. The thought terrified her. A ringing filled her ears, and it was so loud she almost didn’t hear the droid say, “Weapon is at full power.”

Grievous let out a hacking laugh. “What’ll it be, Regant? Who will you save?”

Instead of words, a feral scream emitted from Beta’s lungs, followed by a Force blast that devastated the droids and computers around her. Grievous was thrown back against the wall, and Beta used the opportunity to Force-summon her lightsaber into her hand.

~

Kenobi was staring intently at the holographic display of Grievous’s ship. He could tell the weapon they were charging would be ready at any moment. Any moment now, Anakin’s flagship, the  _ Resolute _ , would emerge from hyperspace to divert the cyborg’s attention, and a cloaked shuttle full of clones would launch from Kenobi’s ship to infiltrate the Separatist ship. It had taken a while to track down where Grievous would be, and he was the best chance they had of finding Beta. A Republic general was a high-value target, worthy of keeping alive for interrogation, and General Grievous was known for his love of torture. 

An angry surge in the Force made his head turn towards Grievous’s ship in alarm. Beta’s rage was like an avalanche of fear- and terror-driven energy. Kenobi had felt this rage himself at one time in his life: when he watched Darth Maul plunge a lightsaber into his master’s stomach.

“Sir, their weapon is charged, but they’re not firing,” Commander Cody reported.

“They’re distracted.” Kenobi stroked his beard. “Beta must have caused a ruckus.”

“Wouldn’t be the first time,” chuckled Cody. “When she gets knocked down one too many times, she gets up stronger.”

“It’s  _ how _ strong I’m concerned about.”

Another clone chimed in. “General Skywalker’s ship is coming out of hyperspace now.”

Sure enough, the  _ Resolute _ appeared next to the  _ Negotiator.  _ Anakin hailed Obi-Wan over the holocomm. 

“Master, we’re launching the dropship now. I don’t agree with you not having a Jedi on this mission.”

“Normally, I’d agree with you, but the clones we’ve dispatched are more than sufficient to rescue her.”

“Okay, Obi-Wan. I’ll trust you on this. They’re going to deliver her to your ship and we don’t know what condition she’ll be in. I’d suggest having Emdee droids ready in the hangar.”

~

At first, her body ached from the torture and beatings… and then Beta was filled with the most raw adrenaline she had ever felt. The lightsaber in her hand was simply an extension of her good arm now. Her mind was clear; pain was non-existent. Without hesitation, she took off running towards the escape pods. Droidekas, commando battle droids, super battle droids… those in her path were blown aside by the flying orange blade she wielded or a powerful Force blast. 

She wasn’t sure how long it actually took her to find the escape pods. It only took her a second to recognize that General Grievous had anticipated where she was headed and ejected the escape pods. 

“So predictable,” he mocked, appearing behind Beta. “I expected someone of your reputation to be a little more innovative.”

“You… will…  _ never _ … get anything out of me,” snarled the teenager.

Grievous drew his lightsabers, only to be paralyzed by the Force lightning shooting from Beta’s fingertips. Her face was alight with fierce concentration. Instead of finishing him off, she leaped over him, then sprinted into the corridor. 

Finding anything flyable in the docking bay was her next idea. Had her mind not been overcome by the Force power consuming her, she might have been bewildered by the lightning spraying from her blade as she carved a path through the droids in the hallways. Pure instinct guided her along her route.

At long last, the young general arrived in the hangar where dozens of droid ships were ripe for the picking. More battle droids converged on her location, firing repeatedly. The adrenaline high was starting to wane. One blaster bolt caught her in the leg, followed closely by another in her side. Beta persisted with the Force lightning and one-handed saber wielding despite her growing fatigue. 

_ “General!” _ a familiar voice cried out. It wasn’t Grievous, Obi-Wan, Anakin, Ahsoka, or a clone. “Alright, Nulls, secure the target and let’s get off this boat!”

Beta hadn’t noticed the Republic transport land in the hangar. Neither had the droids, and it cost them. The full squad of Nulls quickly formed a perimeter around her, mowing down the last of her assailants. Once the area was secure and the firing ceased, Sergeant Skirata caught Beta’s figure as her body went limp in his arms. She felt like her body was revolting to the energy surge she had experienced.

“You’re late, Sergeant,” she coughed out – right before she fainted.

~

Sergeant Skirata picked up Beta and carried her into the transport. Her body was radiating light and heat. Once Beta was hooked up to the temporary life support, the other Nulls gathered around Beta’s unconscious form, muttering amongst themselves.

“What the hell did they do to her?” Ordo seethed. “Did they break her?”

Mereel responded, “It’s a miracle if they didn’t.”

“It’s a miracle if they  _ did _ ,” Kal cut in. “This is Beta we’re talking about – the tough-as-nails shab from Kamino who kicked all your asses during the  _ verd’goten _ .” There was general agreement within the Nulls about the truth of Kal’s statement. 

“Does she know what you found out about her mother?” asked Prudii.

“Never got a chance to tell her. Only reason I was extracted from the mission was to come rescue her.”

The dropship flew towards the hangar of the  _ Negotiator _ . Kal watched over his adopted daughter throughout the short flight, his eyes registering every injury. Her tunic was torn in several places, and visible through the gaps in cloth were gashes from General Grievous’s torture. While the physical injuries could be healed, Skirata didn’t know enough about the Force to be confident of her ability to pull through.

Upon landing in the docking bay, the  _ Negotiator _ immediately jumped to hyperspace. Obi-Wan was waiting for the squad to disembark with several Emdee droids and an antigrav medical table. Sergeant Skirata carried Beta out and placed her on the table, all the while staring grimly at Kenobi.

Kenobi let out a sigh of relief seeing Beta back in his charge, but his mood turned somber when he looked over her injuries. Suddenly, her body started convulsing, and the Force glow seemed to radiate from underneath her skin. 

“The Force... I think it’s consuming her!” exclaimed Obi-Wan. He placed his hand on her forehead to try and calm her, only to yank his hand back. “She’s burning up! What in the blazes happened on Grievous’s ship?”

“Can’t really explain it,” replied Kal. 

“What can we do?” demanded Ordo.

“I don’t think we can do anything besides give her a sedative. She has to fight the rest herself.”

An Emdee droid injected Beta with the suggested sedative and pushed the table in the direction of the med bay. Kenobi, Skirata, and the Nulls trailed after the droids.

Obi-Wan began questioning Sergeant Skirata. “Where was Beta when you found her?” 

“More like, she found us. We landed in the docking bay, and there she was, fighting her way through the battle droids. It was really something watching her in action. There was an aura around her like there was on Coruscant a few months ago, but it was ten times brighter.”

“Did she look like she was in pain?”

“No, which is a miracle given her injuries. She seemed… hyper-invigorated, but fading fast when we got there. Collapsed right in my arms.”

Stroking his beard, Kenobi fell deep into thought. They arrived at the medbay and stared through the window while the droids strapped Beta to the table to keep her from falling off. “It might be a sort of… involuntary battle meditation. Master Yoda is able to synergize with allies to give them new strength and bolster their confidence. The only danger is when you dive too deep and start relying on the Force too much, it can start consuming you, and the crash is like coming down after a spice high.” 

“Does it explain the lightning?”

“She was shooting  _ lightning _ ?” Kenobi exclaimed, his voice reaching a new alarmed pitch.

“Yes, in a very potent manner,” reported Kal calmly.

“Did she ever do this on Kamino?”

“No, never.”

“I’ll have to report to the Council on this. We knew she was strong in the Force, but to have it manifest itself this way is concerning, to say the least.”

Ordo cut in. “Now wait just a minute, General Kenobi. We don’t know what she went through during her capture. At least debrief her before making decisions about her mental state.”


	11. Revelation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The aftermath of her capture and new information about her heritage continue to reshape Beta’s perception of the war.

The Force aura surrounding Beta started to fade and she slipped into a restless state with Kenobi, Skirata, and the Nulls watching. While she appeared unconscious, her mind was running a million klics a minute, replaying scenes from her past in her head.

_ Kal Skirata was putting her through drill after drill with the Nulls until everything was second-nature to her… _

_ She and Boba Fett were sparring in the training centers… _

_ The Nulls were encircling her, provoking her to attack them… _

_ Jango stood before her with his armor on and his arm raised in salute. “You have earned the rank of commander for your performance and leadership of the clones. I look forward to seeing you in action…” _

_ “A non-Jedi general?” she heard the Jedi Masters muttering in the Jedi Temple. “She won’t last a week on the battlefield…” _

_ She was sitting across from Kal in the mess hall, listening to him explain Mandalorian culture... _

_ She was on a ship and two adults were holding out their hands in a defensive position as if they were trying to calm her and protect themselves at the same time. The ship began to shake; loose items flew in every direction. “I don’t wanna go!” Beta was screaming at the top of her lungs. “I don’t want you to leave me there!”... _

_ The clone gunships were ascending from the Geonosian arena, and Beta was staring at Boba’s rapidly shrinking figure on the ground… _

Beta snapped awake from her unconscious state. She was laying on a medical bed, strapped to a table. The Emdee droids in the room turned about at the sound of her heavy breathing.

_ “Get… me… outta these _ …” she snarled in a guttural voice, straining at the restraints. 

“Please remain calm,” MD-4 ordered her in its stoic tone. “The restraints were for your protection.”

“That’s great, but restraints are more than a little triggering to me right now. You can remove them now or I can break out of them.”

The droid rolled closer to the bed. “Yes, of course, but you will need to remain still. You are still gravely injured. We will be putting you in the bacta tank now that you are awake.” It removed the belts holding her to the mattress and backed away promptly.

“And how long will that take? We’ve got a war to win.”

“Three standard days. Remember, you are  _ gravely injured.” _

“Yeah, yeah, yeah…”

Sergeant Skirata entered the med bay dressed in his Mandalorian armor. “Oh, good, you’re awake. How’s my favorite foundling holding up?”

Beta grimaced, “I’m your  _ only  _ foundling… and I’ve been better,  _ Kal’buir.  _ I don’t remember how I got out of there, but sometimes I get memory flashes. I saw you and the Nulls in one of them. Were you there?”

“Yes, we were. We went in expecting to have trouble finding you, only to see you had done most of the fighting all by yourself.” Kal sighed deeply. “I’m sure General Kenobi will debrief you more thoroughly, but… when we found you, you were on some kind of Force high. You weren’t just glowing – it looked like you were on fire. There was lightning coming off your lightsaber and from your fingers.”

A tight knot formed in Beta’s stomach. “Was I – did I go to the dark side?”

“I don’t know enough about this Force voodoo to tell you one way or the other. We’ll talk more when you get out of the bacta tank.”

_ “Kal’buir… _ before I got captured, Commander Cord said you were trying to reach me because you needed to tell me something. What was it?”

“I said, we’ll talk after the bacta tank, Beta,” he responded sternly.

“Wait! You need to tell them to send reinforcements to the Rishi outpost. General Grievous is planning to strike there. He wants to take over the cloning facilities on Kamino, but if he compromises that outpost, we won’t know they’re coming!”

The pair locked eyes for a long second before Beta nodded. The sergeant clapped her good shoulder and gave her an affirmative nod. “I’ll tell General Kenobi. You may have just saved your clone brothers.”

~

“Okay, Beta. Start from the beginning.”

Beta sat cross-legged in a meditation room in the Jedi Temple facing Obi-Wan. It felt good to be in a clean, crisp tunic, pants, and boots instead of the ratty undertunic she had spent her captivity in. She flexed her newly healed arm, enjoying the mobility. She was anxious to get the debriefing over with so she could find Skirata and find out what he wanted to tell her. 

“I sense your mind is elsewhere,” noted Kenobi. “You must learn to focus on the here and now. While we should be mindful of the future, it can wait.”

Chastised, she took a deep centering breath. It was painful to think about her time in captivity, and she could feel the echoes of the torture she’d endured. “A shuttle crashed near Senator Amidala’s lake house on Naboo. All of us saw it – the senator, me, Anakin, and Ahsoka. I started running towards the crash site with Anakin and Ahsoka, and I was the first to approach the shuttle. It turned out to be a trap set by Asajj Ventress and Durge. We fought them… me versus Durge, Anakin and Ahsoka versus Ventress. I was – I was too focused on beating Durge that I couldn’t stop Asajj from pushing me into their shuttle.”

“No Force-user can predict everything when they’re fighting, not even Master Yoda,” Kenobi pointed out. 

Beta nodded, still annoyed with the memory. “They overpowered me in the shuttle and stunned me. When I woke up, I was on Serenno in Dooku’s castle. He didn’t interrogate me; he just… talked. He told me about something called the Wellspring and how my father took me there and fed me midichlorians to make me Force-sensitive.”

Obi-Wan’s face grew troubled. “When I met you, I sensed that your Force-sensitivity was artificial. Did Dooku say why your father did this to you?”

She didn’t respond, instead staring at her folded hands in her lap.

“Beta, look at me.” She obeyed, allowing Obi-Wan to see her eyes were swimming with tears. The conflict inside her reverberated through the Force: the hardened, stoic soldier trying to hold emotions back and the traumatized teenager threatening to let the emotions through. “What did Dooku tell you?”

“He said that I was just my father’s science experiment – that I was supposed to be cloned when I was old enough! He had some droids take blood from me and told me he was going to drain me of all of the midichlorians and use them for the cloning process when they had enough DNA.”

“He wants to  _ clone _ you?”

“Yeah. He does. He turned me over to Grievous to interrogate me because he needed the clearance codes for the Rishi outpost. I didn’t break. I held on.” Another pause, another steadying breath. “Then you showed up and Grievous dragged me up to the bridge. He threatened to blow up your ship unless I told him the codes.” The memories began replaying themselves in Beta’s mind; the worry and fear crept into her voice. “I was so scared a-and afraid to lose another mentor. Grievous was about to fire on your ship – and that’s when I lost control. I tried to control myself, but all I had left in me was fear and hurt and anger.”

Kenobi stroked his beard, deep in thought. His eyebrows furrowed, causing Beta to think she had overstepped the Jedi’s cautious leniency with her. “Sergeant Skirata told me what he saw when he and his squad showed up to rescue you. You were overcome with a Force-fueled battle meditation so powerful that you were shooting lightning from your fingers. Relying on the Force like that, while extremely effective in getting out of difficult situations, has severe physical consequences. You enter a euphoric stage, in which the Force starts consuming your cells.”

“Is that why I feel so drained?”

“Could be. I suggest rest and meditation until you feel your strength return. I will need you to accompany me to a Jedi Council hearing tomorrow to discuss what happened during your captivity.” 

Beta’s heart sank. This is what she had been dreading. Her mouth felt dry just thinking of standing in the middle of the circular room with all of the Jedi Masters staring at her.  _ It’s nothing to be worried about,  _ she tried reminding herself.  _ Obi-Wan will be there. You’ve faced more daunting scenarios on Kamino. _

~

Beta spent the evening in her plainly furnished room in the Jedi Temple, following Kenobi’s prescription to sequester herself. It was no different than her isolation from the clones on Kamino. She spent most of her time taking inventory of which belongings she had left. A few frayed tunics, pants, and boots; mismatched pieces of armor; a few modified blasters; and of course, her lightsaber were all laid out on the cramped floor.

There was a short rap on her door during the late evening – Kal’s signature announcement of his arrival. She opened the door and dipped her head respectfully.  _ “Kal’buir. _ ”

“Evening, Beta,” Kal greeted, clapping her shoulder. He was carrying a large parcel with him, which he promptly deposited on her floor. “You’re looking a little tired. Glad to see you’re standing upright, at least.” 

A bright orange blur smacked into her leg. Beta looked down to see Chopper beating his head against her knee.  _ “Ow,  _ Chopper!” she exclaimed over his frantic whirring.

Her adoptive father chuckled. “He must’ve followed me here! Quite the dedicated droid you have there.”

Grinning fondly, Beta knelt down and patted his dome. “Yeah, I get it. You’re not leaving my side. I don’t blame you. I need  _ someone _ to keep an eye on me.” She stood up and turned her attention back to Kal. “So what have you been waiting to tell me?”

“You’d better sit down.” Kal took a seat at the small table in her room; Beta elected for the sleeping pad. Chopper posted himself at the end of her bed and went into low-power mode. “I’m sorry it took so long to tell you this, but the deep undercover mission I was on involved the Death Watch on Concordia, which orbits the planet Mandalore. I was told to look out for potential Separatist ties. While I was undercover, I found out something interesting about your heritage – your mother, specifically.”

“My mother? What about her?”

“Your mother, Lorn, was born into House Kryze on Mandalore. You aren’t just a foundling adopted into House Skirata; you were born Mandalorian, and you were supposed to be raised as such.”

“But why does that matter? Both of my parents are dead. I-I killed them by accident.”

“It matters because your mother was coerced by your father, Frances, into marriage. They had twin children: you and a boy. Lorn must have realized her mistake in marrying him eventually. Thankfully, your father wasn’t on Mandalore when she gave birth. When she presented you to your father when he returned from a long journey, he kidnapped you both, and your mother’s family never heard from her again.”

Beta exhaled the breath she’d been holding in for minutes. “I have… a family on Mandalore?”

“Not just  _ any _ family, mind you. House Kryze is split between factions. Your aunt Satine is a duchess and the current ruler of Mandalore. She and I have... sharp disagreements when it comes to the politics of the Mandalorians. She leads the New Mandalorians – a pacifist, peaceful group bent on destroying what Mandalore is all about. Your other aunt is Bo-Katan Kryze. She is who I met while undercover. She leads a sect of Death Watch called the Nite Owls. Death Watch has rejected the New Mandalorians in favor of tradition, and they have been banished to Concordia for their beliefs.”

The teenager’s palms were suddenly slick with sweat. A million questions bounced around inside her head, the foremost being, why had her mother chosen to keep her and not her brother? The only question she vocalized was: “Should I meet them?”

Kal sighed heavily. “That’s the tricky part. You are, after all, a general in the Grand Army of the Republic, and Mandalore is a neutral system. You would have to be assigned to a diplomatic mission or investigation to gain access. Even then, I’d be hesitant to introduce you by your real identity if you wanted to meet your family. Remember, you already have a family even if you never meet your bloodline. Being a Mandalorian doesn’t mean you are part of a race; it means you abide by the creed.”

She nodded understandingly. Trying to distract herself, she jerked her head in the direction of the box. “Dare I ask what you’ve brought?”

“Ah, yes. Why don’t you open it and see?”

Beta obeyed and pressed the button to open the crate. The first thing she saw was a steel helmet with a T-visor almost identical to Jango Fett’s helmet. Underneath the headpiece were chest armor, a backplate, gauntlets, knee armor, and a flight suit. She took the helmet out of the box and stared into her reflection. 

Skirata managed a ghost of a smile on his face. “The creed you took as a Mandalorian defines you as a person. Circumstances can dictate when it’s safe for you to wear the armor or not. Clearly, you’d be at much more risk wearing it now when you’re fighting for the Republic. Maybe one day, if the war ends, you can travel to Mandalore and live there.”

“If the war ends…” Beta repeated softly. “Thank you for the gift,  _ Kal’buir.  _ I hope I get an opportunity to wear this armor and make the clan proud. I wish I didn’t have to hide my identity as a Mandalorian.”

“You and me both, General. Now that’s enough sentiment for the day. I’ll catch you on the battlefield.”

~

The evening hours slipped away with Beta staring at the Mandalorian helmet now in her possession. It was no use pretending like her resoluteness as a soldier hadn’t been shaken during her captivity; however, knowing she might have a belonging outside of the clone army if the war ever ended gave her something concrete to fight for. 

She eventually packed the armor away and drifted off to sleep. It seemed it was only an instant before her body clock awoke her in the morning. Her holocomm was already buzzing insistently. “This is General Regant,” she yawned in response. 

_ “General Regant, this is Master Kenobi. Please meet me in the Jedi Council chambers in one hour for your hearing. And kindly let me do the talking unless you’re asked a direct question. They will have other witnesses besides me reporting to them.” _

Other witnesses… Beta rubbed her eyes, suddenly alert. “Yes, Master Keno – _ow,_ Chop! I’m awake!” Beta snarled as the droid pinched her arm to make sure she was getting out of bed.

_ ”Problems with your droid?” _

”Yeah, someone needs to rewire his nanny circuits soon.”

_”Not my area of expertise. I’ll see you in an hour.”_

Shoving Chopper out of the way, Beta stood up. If Obi-Wan didn’t want her using words to represent herself, her appearance would need to do the talking. Looking in the mirror, she wasn’t at all surprised to see what remained of her youthful appearance was almost non-existent. Even her smile seemed stretched and wane. 

She pulled on the outfit she had worn to Naboo, plus a long, dark robe, and attempted to flatten her lengthening militaristic haircut, but eventually she had to slick it back and braid the sides to keep it under control.

Beta was about to leave her room to grab a quick meal in the refectory… then her gaze drifted over towards the crate containing her Mandalorian armor. Some of her mischievousness returned when a sly grin turned up one corner of her mouth. On went the gauntlets and the knee armor. She didn’t care if the new additions drew the ire of the Council; no one could argue the Mandalorians produced the best armor available and she was proud to wear it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> P.S. I’ve had to slow down on my posting because I’m nearing the end of the part of this story I’ve already written but more material will follow when I run out of chapters!


	12. The Hearing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Beta faces the Jedi Council after her rescue to hear if she will be allowed back into the fight.

Ahsoka followed Anakin towards the lift that would take them up to the Council chambers. The Council had summoned them to provide eyewitness testimony to Beta’s capture, but she suspected ulterior motives to their request. 

When she asked Anakin for any insight, he responded with his usual light-hearted tone. “What could they possibly want to do with her besides congratulate her on escaping and not giving up any intel during her capture? She’s a soldier and she did her job.”

“But I feel like they want any excuse to ground her! She’s kind of an… an enigma. I don’t think they trust her.”

Anakin frowned. “No use in speculating. We’ll see when they get there.”

They arrived at the elevator to find none other than Beta Regant waiting for the next lift. Ahsoka was struck by her composure and appearance: a freshly cleaned face and hair style, straight posture, and a crisp outfit. Noticeable were the new gauntlets and knee armor; neither were standard-issue for Jedi or clones.

The general gave both a slight bow and greeted, “General Skywalker. Commander Tano.” When she straightened, Ahsoka made eye contact and immediately understood Beta’s frame of mind. The teenager’s green eyes didn’t match her respectful tone. They were aloof and guarded, just like her.

“I’m glad to see you’re well, General,” said Ahsoka. “I heard you were rescued, but nobody’s seen you around the temple or the garrison.”

“Thank you, Commander. General Kenobi recommended I keep a low profile.” 

Anakin folded his arms. “Obi-Wan wouldn’t tell me anything about how you escaped. Said to wait until the official statement before the Jedi Council.”

“And he told me I shouldn’t be doing much talking, even during the official statement.” 

“General Regant, I just wanted to thank you for… saving my life on Naboo,” the Padawan said softly. “You knew you were about to be taken, but you saved me instead of trying to escape.” 

Beta was unfazed when she replied, “Your master would’ve killed me if I’d let you die.”

The lift arrived, and all three stepped in. Anakin maintained his closed posture as they began their ascent. A few seconds into the ride, he smirked and glanced sideways at Beta. “You’re right. I would’ve killed you if you let my Padawan die.”

“I call ‘em like I see ‘em.”

Ahsoka let out a nervous giggle, which she stifled almost immediately before asking, “Hey, General, would you want to spar in the training facility sometime? I could give you some pointers.” 

“Hold on a second, Snips. If Beta’s getting any tips on lightsaber dueling, it’s going to be from  _ me _ ,” Anakin cut in. 

“But isn’t that why General Kenobi is mentoring me? Wasn’t he your master?” smirked Beta.

When the lift door opened, Anakin was scowling, the right corner of Beta’s mouth was turned up on a crooked smile, and Ahsoka was rolling her eyes. Kenobi was standing in front of the elevator entrance waiting for them, arms folded, and stroking his beard.

“Well. Good to see nothing’s changed. The Council is waiting for us.”

~

Eleven pairs of eyes belonging to eleven Jedi Masters, some in the flesh and some via holograph, stared at Beta while Ahsoka, Anakin, and Kenobi gave their testimonies. In her time, she had withstood commanders and drill sergeants yelling orders in her face, but the composed, silent judgment from the Jedi was infinitely worse. 

“...General Regant acted bravely and nobly when she risked her own life to save mine…”

“...If it weren’t for General Regant’s unorthodox fighting methods and bravery in the face of capture, I wouldn’t have an apprentice…”

“...and it is my understanding that General Regant demonstrated a battle meditation during her escape, resulting in a Force euphoria that helped her display a rather impressive show of Force powers,” Kenobi said, wrapping up his dialogue. 

Yoda’s three-clawed hand ran over his wrinkled green head. “Battle meditation, you say? A rare gift, this is, even for a Jedi.”

Obi-Wan looked appraisingly at Beta. “I believe she has been capable of this her whole life, even on Kamino. Sergeant Skirata described her training with the clones as the most well-executed exercises he’d ever seen. They were invigorated by her presence.”

Silence reigned in the Council chamber. Beta’s eyes remained fixed on Yoda’s penetrating gaze. He waved her forward. She stood on Obi-Wan’s right side, her hands folded placidly in front of her. Anakin and Ahsoka watched from the sidelines, their interest piqued.

Mace Windu leaned back in his chair, fingertips pressed together in front of his face. “Did Dooku reveal anything to you during your capture?”

It took everything in Beta’s self-restraint to avoid looking at Obi-Wan for guidance. “Yes, he did.”

“Share with the Council, you must,” ordered Yoda.

She took a deep breath and reiterated Count Dooku’s plan to overrun the cloning facilities and use her as a template for Force-sensitive clones. She omitted the part about the Wellspring, where she herself had become powerful in the Force; instead, she recounted the story about her father feeding her midichlorians. “According to Dooku, my father gave me a rather large dose of midichlorians to make me Force-sensitive. He was a gifted scientist. He knew how to isolate midichlorians from the cells they live in. He also knew how to capture midichlorians in the cloning process.”

“So why make you artificially Force-sensitive, and not just take a random Force-sensitive child?” demanded Windu. He sat forward in his chair again.

“Because I was his flesh and blood. He knew my DNA the best. By knowing exactly what enhancements the midichlorians gave me, he could complete the cloning process much more efficiently.”

The Council members exchanged whispers with their neighbors. Finally, Yoda raised his hand to silence them. “One clone army, we have already. Protect the facilities on Kamino, we must, if we will prevent an army of Force-sensitive clones.”

Windu frowned. “She’s already fallen into enemy hands once. What if they capture her again and we’re unable to rescue her before it’s too late?”

Shaak Ti’s hologram considered Beta carefully. “General Regant excelled at the training provided in the clone facilities, and it shows on the battlefield. She is spoken about with high regard on Kamino. If we are to win this war, we need her fighting on the frontlines, not being hidden away like some lab rat.”

“I concur with Master Ti,” Plo Koon echoed. “Her expertise and leadership are too valuable.”

Reluctantly, Master Windu nodded. “What is your decision, Master Yoda?”

“Remain on the battlefield with Master Kenobi, General Regant will. Draw out Count Dooku. If want her he does, then reveal himself, he will.”

~

The Council adjourned shortly after the verdict was delivered, leaving Beta standing in the middle of the room. The bright sunshine glistened off of the ships in the travel lanes. Ahsoka was about to leave the room with Anakin, but she noticed the general hadn’t moved. 

“I think that went well,” the Padawan said encouragingly. “How do you think it went?”

Beta nodded slowly in agreement. “I’m certainly not grounded. But don’t you see what’s happening, Ahsoka? First the Jedi need to keep an eye on me because of my powers, and now I’m bait to draw Count Dooku. They don’t see me, they just see… what I represent. I represent what they fear. I have the Force, I know how to use it, and if Dooku takes the bait and tries to capture me again, they’re fine if I get killed in the process.”

“I was expecting more of, ‘I think it went well too, Ahsoka, now let’s go grab some lunch’ — but I guess you’ve been wrestling with your role in the war for a while now.”

“Just a bit.” Beta blushed and smiled guiltily at the Togruta.

“I think the Council will eventually see past what they fear in you and see you for who you are. I think you’re a good person and you have good intentions.”

Obi-Wan entered the room, his brow furrowed. “I hope I’m not interrupting anything. We just got word that Chancellor Palpatine has requested Beta’s presence in his office.”

“The chancellor sent for  _ me _ ? Are you sure they said me and not Anakin?”

“Quite certain; we triple-checked the request ourselves. I would suggest not keeping him waiting.”

“Yes, Master. I’ll leave immediately.”

“And Beta?”

“Yes, Master Kenobi?”

“Be on your guard around the chancellor. He’s a politician and if you say the wrong thing, it could make things very difficult for us to do our jobs.”


	13. Planting a Seed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Palpatine summons Beta to his office to discuss her options for life after the war.

The afternoon sun beat down on Beta as she strode across the Senate plaza. With the wide diversity of aliens, humans, and humanoids, no one bothered to give her a second look, which she enjoyed immensely. She had replaced her Mandalorian armor with Republic pieces; the less Palpatine could guess about her lineage, the better.

The conversation she’d had with Padmé on Naboo about continuing her service to the Republic in the Senate after the war ended rose to her mind. Beta observed all of the politicians and aides meandering aimlessly around. It turned her stomach. Her clone brothers were out there fighting on the front lines, and here were the politicians using the war to solely further the interests of their planets, for better or worse. 

After only stopping to ask for directions three times, Beta finally found her way to the chancellor’s office. A sense of foreboding slowed her progress. What  _ did _ he want with her? 

The two members of the Royal Guard at the door crossed their force pikes to bar her entrance. “Even Jedi have to make appointments with Chancellor Palpatine, and you’re no exception, youngling.”

“The chancellor summoned me,” Beta shot back, showing them her datapad. “Here are my orders. And I’m no Jedi.”

The guard on the right scoffed, “Looks like a forgery to me. Get out of here, or we’ll place you under arrest.”

Scowling, Beta raised her hand and waved it casually like Obi-Wan had taught her. “I  _ do _ have an appointment with Chancellor Palpatine.”

“Are you seriously trying to tell us you’re not a Jedi and then using one of their signature moves on us? That’s it, you’re under arrest.”

They lowered their pikes in a threatening manner and advanced towards her. She slid her lightsaber into her hand but refrained from igniting it.

“ _ What  _ is going on out here?” The guards and Beta saw Chancellor Palpatine standing in the doorway with a stern expression on his face. “Why are you trying to electrocute my guest? She showed you her invitation, did she not?”

“Yes, Your Excellency, but the invitation was for General Beta Regant, not some second-rate Padawan commander.”

“This  _ is _ General Regant, you fool. She’s no Padawan, either. Now return to your posts.” He then extended his arm benevolently to Beta and motioned for her to step inside his office. “My apologies for the misunderstanding, General – your bravery and valor on the battlefield call to mind someone much older than yourself.”

Beta could feel Palpatine’s power and control emanating off him like a powerful radiation. “I understand, Your Excellency,” she said carefully. She stayed a step behind him as he led her towards his desk and showed her to a chair. 

When he sat, he rested both of his hands on the arms of his chair and appraised her. “First of all, I want to commend you on escaping from General Grievous’ custody. He is incredibly dangerous. It’s a miracle you weren’t killed.”

“To be honest, I don’t really remember much of the escape. The Force took over… and then I woke up in the med bay.”

“It seems to me that your powers are much more viable because they don’t ascribe to the Jedi religion. You’re… something else. I’m intrigued by you. But I know what you’re thinking: I’m not the first person who’s expressed their interest in you. There are others who have been watching you.”

Beta’s tongue felt like paper in her mouth. She could tell if she lied to him, he would know. “Yeah. Like Count Dooku. And Jango Fett.”

“And the Jedi, if I’m not mistaken.”

“Especially them.”

Drumming his fingers on the armrest, Palpatine’s eyes narrowed. “And after the war? What path lies ahead of you then?”

“Your Excellency… if I had ten credits for every time someone asked me that, I would buy passage on the fastest charter to the farthest point of the galaxy.” 

“So your future is of interest to many people.”

“Yes, Your Excellency.”

He continued to consider her, running his eyes over every inch of her like he could see through her, before standing up. “Walk with me, General.”

Beta nodded and stood up as well, figuring her best course of action was to remain aloof and play along with whatever game he was playing. She kept pace with him while they strolled the length of the office at a leisurely pace. 

Palpatine spoke first. “You know, Beta – it’s alright if I call you Beta, isn’t it – I selected you for the mission to Naboo  _ personally _ . I had heard of your advanced training on Kamino, thanks to your extracurricular sessions with bounty hunters, and I thought an advanced assignment would suit you well. I knew Dooku sent his best assassins to lure Jedi out. Their first attempt was weak on purpose. Whoever was sent to protect Senator Amidala was sure to face an attempted kidnapping. I knew of all of the generals out there, you’d be the one to pull through. A Jedi would not have survived without compromising the Republic army.”

Frowning, Beta busied her overheating face by looking out the panoramic window into the afternoon sun. “And yet the Jedi still came to rescue me.”

“Because if Dooku turned you, he would have a leg up in this war.”

“Which the Jedi want to keep.”

“Precisely. And what if there weren’t any Jedi or Dooku vying over your future?”

She contemplated this for a moment. “I still have to figure that out.”

“What if I told you I can ensure whichever path you want after the war is over?”

“ _ Whichever _ path…? Your Excellency, I’m not quite sure what you mean.”

“I mean what I said. All you’ve ever known is training for a fight. If you want to keep fighting when the Separatists are defeated, you can keep fighting. If you want to master the Force, you can master the Force. If you want to retire… pick a planet, any planet, and you’ll live in comfort. And finally… if you want to find Boba Fett and run off on some wild fantasy bounty hunt with him, I can erase your identity and ensure you have a new life.” His eyes watched her reaction with what looked like glee when he saw her face flush.

“Why would I want to find Boba Fett? He – he wouldn’t want to see me.”

“Yes, leaving him behind on Geonosis does complicate the relationship you had with him, doesn’t it? Especially considering you ran away with the people who killed the person who was… almost like a  _ father _ to you.”

Beta stopped walking abruptly, her face an even brighter red than before. “With all due respect, Chancellor – why did you summon  _ me _ and not General Skywalker?”

“I summon all kinds of people. You’re not  _ that  _ special, young Beta. But I’m not wrong when it comes to your surrogate father figures: Jango Fett, Kal Skirata, now Obi-Wan Kenobi. You crave acceptance, belonging. And yet what you’re capable of is beyond any of their imagining. Once this war ends, I can help you choose whatever path you feel is your destiny.” 

“ _ Whichever _ path… what paths do you think I have?”

“You don’t strike me as someone who hasn’t considered this before. Answer your own question.”

She knew she needed to choose her words wisely, even more so than before. “I could move to the Outer Rim and make a living as a gun-for-hire or a bounty hunter – something to put my talents to use outside the army. Senator Amidala thinks I could do some good in the Senate.”

“And what of the Jedi?”

“What about them?”

“You’re strong in the Force, yet you don’t subscribe to any Force-related religion.  _ That, _ my dear girl, is a threat to them. Did you ever suspect that they’re afraid of you and what you can do?”

“Yes. I did.”

His voice lowered in pitch, becoming softer when he said, “I would not be surprised if they try to dispose of you when they no longer need you.” 

“Your Excellency?” Beta said, aghast as she felt a pit forming in her stomach.

Palpatine was quick to move the conversation forward after he planted the seed of doubt regarding the Jedi’s ultimate intentions for her. He resumed his normal tone. “I can make sure your future is protected after the war. I see a great partnership in our future.”

Beta inclined her head in an understanding and respectful manner, trying not to reveal her unease. “Thank you for your counsel, Your Excellency. You’ve given me a great deal to think about.”

“I’m looking forward to our future chats, General.”

Even as she walked swiftly out of his office, taking the time to cheekily salute the Red Guards at the doorway, she knew Palpatine already had a set path in mind for her. However, the glimmer of hope she possessed was that her instincts were wrong and his offer of assistance after the war was genuine. Only time would tell.


	14. Early Arrival

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Beta is assigned to the Ryloth campaign, which leads to an unexpected mission on the planet’s surface.

**Three Months Later**

~

A squad of clone troopers stood in front of Beta in the docking bay of the  _ Resolute.  _ They were waiting for her words of encouragement, which they always seemed to expect when she was least prepared.

“Okay, soldiers,” she began, licking her lips. “Our mission is simple: provide additional support to Commander Tano while she outflanks the droid fighters. I’ll be flying a Y-wing with the rest of you. Commander Tano is the lead on this trip, not me.”

The clones continued to stare at her, clearly anticipating more. Even crotchety Chopper nudged her. His willingness to leave her side after their reunion following her rescue had been severely reduced.

“The planet has been under a Separatist blockade for long enough. We were all trained to destroy clankers. Who wants to add a few more to their kill count?”

This generated an enthusiastic whoop. Ahsoka trotted up to Beta. “Ready, General?”

“Ready to follow your lead on this trip, Commander. I like outside-the-box maneuvers.”

“You could say I learned some of that thinking from you. I’ll need to thank Master Kenobi for lending you out for this mission when one of my pilots died in the first mission.”

“Glad I got here in time.” Beta vaulted herself up to stand on the bow of the Y-wing. “Chop, strap yourself in! It’s gonna be a fun ride.”

Chopper whirred in annoyance but complied nonetheless. Rex stood below her Y-wing and waved at her. “No pressure, General, but we’re counting on this mission to succeed.”

Beta smirked. “Thanks, Rex. Was it you whose canteen I slipped the sleeping drug into? I can’t remember.”

Rex gave a hesitant chuckle, but instinctively opened his water bottle and peered inside. By the time he looked back up at the general, she was already saluting him farewell from inside the cockpit. “I’ll get you next time, General!”

Beta chuckled and settled into the Y-wing to begin the pre-flight check. “We’re keeping it high and tight here, Chop. Just hold the ship together. These things aren’t the most maneuverable fighters.”

~

The plan was to angle the  _ Resolute _ at an angle that blocked laser fire from the Separatist ships blockading Ryloth so the Y-wing squadron could outflank the enemy fighters. Meanwhile, Anakin was piloting a heavily damaged but evacuated  _ Defender  _ straight at the droid control ship to destroy it. As soon as the  _ Resolute _ dropped out of hyperspace, Ahsoka launched the squadron of Y-wings.

“Here we go, Chop,” Beta muttered, piloting the fighter into the void of space.

_ “All wings, check in!”  _ ordered Ahsoka. 

“Gold 2, standing by!” responded Beta immediately.

The other clone pilots replied to the call. Beta flew close to Ahsoka, firing at as many vulture droids as she could hit. Slowly but surely, they routed the droids.

A cold pit formed in Beta’s stomach suddenly. Her scanners showed three droid fighters swarming her.

_ “Gold 2, you’ve got some tails!”  _ Gold 5 shouted.

“I can’t shake them!” said Beta in alarm – right before a laser disintegrated her left engine. She fought to keep her fighter steady. “I know, I know, Chopper! We’re going down! Keep as many systems going as you can!”

_ “Come in, Gold 2!”  _ yelled Ahsoka. 

“I’ll catch you on Ryloth!” she responded. 

The Y-wing began descending through the battle to the surface of Ryloth. Chopper’s panicked whirs increased in frequency while he listed off the systems that were failing the starfighter. They entered the atmosphere, picking up more and more speed as gravity pulled them down. Beta barely heard the droid tell her they were going to crash in Lessu, the capital of Ryloth, due to the cockpit filling with smoke. Desperately, she released herself from her harness and forced the canopy open, using the Force to guide her tumble into the rushing wind. She managed to stretch her limbs into a spread-eagle position and fall the rest of the distance to the surface. 

Beta straightened her body the last few meters of the fall so she could land in a crouched position. The force of her feet meeting the ground created a cloud of smoke around her. When the dust cleared, she was able to see the trail of smoke across the sky marking where her Y-wing crashed. Her throat tightened while she fumbled for her commlink. “Aw,  _ no _ … Chopper, come in!”

Silence was the answer to her radio call, so she repeated her plea: “Chop, tell me you’re still there!”

Nothing. She was alone. Beta took a knee and picked up a handful of sand in frustration and sadness. The C1 unit had been there for her from the first days of the Clone Wars. 

While she wished she could sit and mourn the loss of her droid companion, she knew she needed to contact Master Kenobi. “This is General Regant to the  _ Negotiator _ ,” she said urgently into her holocomm. “Do you read me?”

_ “We read you, General,”  _ Kenobi said, his figure appearing in the palm of Beta’s hand.  _ “Glad to see you’re alive, but I may have to think twice about letting you go on missions with Ahsoka. You always seem to find yourself in life-threatening situations with her.” _

“With all due respect, General Kenobi, we’re fighting a war. That’s an ongoing life-threatening situation.”

_ “Point taken. What’s your location?” _

“My ship went down on Ryloth but I bailed and I’m in the middle of nowhere. Looks like I’ll have to meet the invasion army on the ground.”

_ “That might take some time. We can’t land until we take out the cannons on the ground. I’ll send you the coordinates of where to meet us. Master Windu will be leading a campaign to retake the capital when the southern hemisphere is secured. I’m guessing the droid armies have taken several villages hostage, so you’re more than welcome to liberate some prisoners on your way.” _

“Sounds like a plan, General.”

~

She shut off the holocomm and looked back up at the sky. The idea to head in the direction of the wreck to see what stood in her way of rescuing Chopper had barely entered her mind when she sensed she was being watched. She immediately drew her lightsaber and turned around. A tan-colored Twi’lek male riding a blurg was pointing a blaster at her head.

“And who might you be?” he asked suspiciously. “Republic or Separatist?”

Beta quickly retorted, “Which answer won’t get me shot?”

The Twi’lek cocked his blaster threateningly. 

“I’m General Beta Regant of the Grand Army of the Republic.”

“You? A general? You’re just a child.”

“And I hope I’m half as brave as the Twi’lek children living under Separatist occupation.”

The left corner of his mouth turned upward. He holstered his blaster. “General of the Republic it is. I am Cham Syndulla, leader of the resistance on Ryloth. I assume if you’re here, there are more Republic forces on the way?”

“You would be correct. My arrival is a little premature thanks to my ship getting shot down while we were breaking through the blockade.”

Syndulla looked up at the sky. The trail of smoke was still visible. “It looks like it crashed near Lessu. You won’t be able to retrieve it until you can reclaim the city, and there are nothing but battle droids in the way. I suggest you follow me back to our hideout.”

Beta nodded and switched off the lightsaber. Her throat constricted itself when she thought of Chopper. “Any villages we can free along the way? I’m more fond of ground fighting instead of space fighting.”

“Don’t tell my daughter that. She is always looking to the skies and asking when she can get in a starship again. My prayer is for the planet to be liberated so I can let her.”

“And I wish for the war to be over so I can make a life of my own.”

“You’re a Jedi, no? Isn’t your life planned out for you already?”

“I’m more a  _ ward _ of the Jedi until they don’t need me anymore.”

Syndulla gave her another once-over. “Ah. I see it now. You’ve opted for some unconventional battle gear. Is that  _ beskar  _ armor?”

“Good eye. Now, back to a more important matter. Where’s the nearest village?”

“There is a small settlement on the edge of the jungle about ten klics from here. My crew and I will escort you, but we cannot do much more than that for fear we may be caught.” Cham whistled with two of his fingers, and a patrol of five more mounted Twi’leks emerged from behind a pillar of rocks.

One of the female Twi’leks led an extra blurg and handed the reins to Beta. “This was once my partner’s blurg. We lost her in a droid ambush earlier today. She would have wanted you to have it.”

“I’m honored,” Beta said, dipping her head out of respect. She reached her hand towards the biped, using the Force to calm its naturally suspicious nature before clambering onto its back.

The rest of the group eyed her suspiciously, unsure if they could trust her. Instead of taking the lead, she fell into the middle of the pack, keeping an aloof expression.

~

Ryloth’s dusty, rocky surface was almost too quiet. Looking around her, Beta wondered what it was like before the Separatists invaded. Were there children who ran and played? Were there bustling markets and roads full of travelers?

The female Twi’lek who had given the blurg to Beta slowed her ride to fall into step alongside the general. “I’m Shik’neluz, but you can just call me Shik. If you don’t mind me asking… how old are you? You look a little young to be a general.”

“I get that a lot. Still doesn’t change my rank. And I’m thirteen.”

“And why are you trying to free villages by yourself? You’ll be killed.”

Beta narrowed her eyes slightly at Shik. “I don’t see why that would stop me. Doesn’t stop you being part of a resistance.”

Shik scoffed. “I at least have team members behind me.”

“Usually, I do too. Plans changed for me on this trip. Honestly, not having a team to look out for makes me want to do it by myself even more.”

“You Force-wielders are all the same.  _ Reckless _ . You think your power can let you do anything.”

“On the contrary, Shik. My  _ clone _ training lets me have a lot more fun. The Force is just an added bonus.” 

The Twi’lek looked her up and down with a softer expression. “One of these days, you’re gonna need a partner. Not like a clone partner, but a  _ partner _ -partner. This war won’t last forever. Might want to think about your future when it’s over.”

“ _ Partner _ -partner? Like a romantic partner?”

“Yes, one of those. Ever had romantic feelings for someone?”

“Er –” Beta started to respond, preparing to vehemently deny it, but she stopped when Boba’s face entered her mind. “Why is this a relevant conversation? When the war ends, I plan on disappearing so no one can keep tabs on me ever again. A romantic partner would make that… complicated.” She looked at Shik with a sheepish smile, hoping the Twi’lek would understand.

Shik returned the expression with a sly grin. It took Beta a moment to realize her intentions.

“You’re… attracted to me?”

“Not at this age. You’re too young for me and I just lost my partner. But I’m attracted to the woman you’ll grow to be, and I’m guessing you’ve never really socialized with people who are in a position to appreciate that person. They only see you for your military prowess. I’m not the only one who sees what I see.”

The teenager nervously glanced around to look at her Twi’lek companions. She caught the gaze of a younger male, who quickly averted his eyes to the front of the patrol after she met his with a raised eyebrow.

“Halt!” ordered Cham suddenly, raising his arm. “Droid patrol ahead. We must be close to the village.”

Pulling her steed to a halt, Beta seized the opportunity to escape that uncomfortable conversation. “I’ll take it from here,” she said, resuming her confident, commanding tone. “Stay out of sight. Once I secure the village, it’s going to be up to me to make sure they can protect themselves.”

“And if you don’t come back? We don’t have all day to wait for you,  _ General _ ,” Cham said skeptically.

“Meet me at the far end of the village if you want to get a head start on the journey home. Otherwise – I’ll stay with the villagers until the rest of the troops arrive and you don’t have to see me again. Mind you, it’ll make things easier for you down the road if the Republic hears you gave me safe passage.”

“Why would we care what they think? We’ve survived on our own long enough. When the Republic comes – and you’re just the tip of the iceberg – there’s no guarantee they’ll leave when the planet is retaken. Yes, we need them to help kick the Separatists off, but we surely don’t need them to live afterwards.”

Beta nodded understandingly, sliding off the blurg. “Just like I need the Republic to defeat the Separatists in the war, but I sure as hell don’t need them to live my own life after the war’s over. Which is why I keep fighting: to make sure the war ends.” 

“And if it doesn’t?”

The girl frowned, but couldn’t deny what Cham was referring to. “One battle at a time. It’s what I keep telling myself. Catch ya later.” With that, she turned away and trotted off in the direction of the droid patrol.

~

_ “‘After the war, Beta. What are you gonna do  _ after  _ the war?’ _ Why the hell do people keep asking me that?” Beta muttered to the first droid she encountered, then deflected blaster bolts from six more clankers. “I mean, has anyone ever asked  _ you _ that?”

“Uh… the war’s supposed end?” it replied.

“It  _ has _ to end.” She swung her blade again to disintegrate the droid. “I’m  _ depending _ on it ending.”

Her momentum towards the Armored Assault Tank she had targeted to commandeer was hindered briefly by a barrage of laser cannon fire from the AAT, which she lept and flipped forward through the air to dodge. When she landed on the roof of the tank, she opened the hatch and used the Force to lift the droid out of the cockpit. “I mean, we can’t fight each other the rest of our lives, can we?” 

“I think my life’s about to end, so – yes!” the battle droid responded, right before its life did, in fact, end. 

Beta sighed and dispatched the rest of the patrol, then settled into the tank, still fuming. The AAT’s controls were easy enough to figure out. Her plan was to use the stolen AAT to smuggle herself into the village undetected, then take out the Separatists’ biggest weapons with the tank. She assumed by the time that happened, the droids would’ve figured out what was going on and attempted to destroy the tank, thus requiring her to dispatch the rest of the occupying force by hand. She preferred a straight fight to sneaking around, anyway.

Humming a radio tune popular among the clones, Beta drove the tank into the village. The roads were deserted by its residents, but not by droids. Entire squads marched up and down the streets and there was evidence of looting. She followed a droid squad at a safe distance, scanning for the villagers, until the droids led her into the center of the town. Two more AATs stood threateningly above a group of Twi’leks comprised of men, women, and children. 

She sat back in her seat and considered the situation. She needed to draw the tanks away from the prisoners so they could run free. Chances were the droids expected a full-on aerial assault from the Republic, not a teenaged general who could also use the Force. And that expectation would be their downfall. 

Beta steered the tank behind the two AATs guarding the hostages and took a deep breath. While her first round of laserfire aimed at the enemy tanks could be written off as an accident in the droids’ minds, the second would not be so easily brushed aside. The gambit would be up, but she had to ensure all of their fire was directed at her.

“Okay, let’s see how you clankers feel about becoming scrap metal,” she murmured – right before blasting the first AAT to shrapnel.


	15. Unwelcome Attention

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Beta gains an uninvited, yet eager, traveling companion from the Twi’lek village after the villagers are liberated.

An adolescent male Twi’lek in binders jumped at the first explosion. His father next to him was quick to shield him while the battle droids were distracted by the detonation. “Stay down, Oojon,” was the order he listened to. 

There was another loud blast, and this time, the second tank went up in flames. The battle droids started to catch on that their own tank was firing on them. “Hey, wrong target! You weren’t supposed to be firing at us!” one yelled in its tinny voice. “Fire on the hostages if you want to let loose some frustration!”

The big gun on the AAT turned towards the nearest squad of droids standing in formation. A second later, they went up in smoke.

_ “Blast it!” _ another droid yelled, and they opened fire on the rogue AAT. 

Oojon stared as the hatch of the last remaining tank opened and a human teenager about his own age climbed out, her robes whipping in the wind. Her hair was long on top but short on the sides with small braids woven in. She drew a lightsaber and a blaster and lept into action. Her path of destruction through the droids looked effortless. Beta’s lightsaber was a blur of motion, cutting through droid after droid simultaneously through her flipping and leaping.

The other Twi’leks around him began to realize their captors were no more. Oojon snapped out of his admiring reverie when his father found a tool to cut their binders free. 

“Who is that, Father?” he asked in amazement, but was stopped short at the disapproving look on his father Oumor’s face.

“That,” replied Oumor, shunting his son to safety, “is a Jedi. They think they’re better than the rest of us. They arrive, they create a scene for themselves, then they leave, not even bothering to look at the destruction in their wake.” 

The sounds of blaster fire and droid shrieks quieted suddenly, followed by a huge gust of wind in all directions. Villagers poked their heads out from hiding to see the teenager rising from a crouched position. The debris from the droids was splayed out in a clear blast radius around her. 

Oumor stepped forward ahead of his fellow Twi’leks. “Jedi! We are grateful for your assistance disposing of the droids. What brings you to our corner of the planet?”

Beta casually brushed the dust off of her tunic and holstered her blaster. “I was in the neighborhood and saw some battle droids that needed recycling. I suggest gathering the blasters and using them to defend yourselves if the Separatists come back. Some walls around the borders of your village might come in handy too.”

A scowl spread over Oumor’s face. “Just as I expected. A tourist Jedi.”

“Excuse me?” she responded, taken aback. “I just rescued all of the people here. I’m not sure what else I’m supposed to do besides try to make sure your village stays free. You must understand I can’t stay.”

“And why not? Need to find something else to blow up? You’re all the same, coming from Coruscant. You think your discussions and bargaining on that one planet can solve the problems on the planets you’re supposed to be helping. Have you ever thought that maybe the problems are stemming from Coruscant itself?”

Beta folded her arms to create a barrier between her and Oumor.  _ What would Obi-Wan do here?  _ “Your planet is represented in the Senate, isn’t it? I’m not much of a politician, but my understanding is your senator is the reason I’m here. He’s worked hard to ensure the Republic sent their army here.”

“I only see you, a child with a laser sword. Where is this army you speak of?”

“Father,  _ please,” _ said Oojon in an exasperated tone. He walked up to Beta and inclined his head respectfully. “What my father means to say is, we’re grateful for your help. We’ll see to building our defenses so we’re not caught unawares next time.”

~

Beta couldn’t understand why the Twi’lek was upset with her for doing her job. She watched as the villagers embraced each other and set about cleaning up the town square. The adolescent Twi’lek hovered around her, clearly waiting for her response. “I hope you’re able to keep the battle droids away. Our forces will provide a distraction so they won’t be able to focus on civilians.”

“Me, too. I’m Oojon, by the way. Sorry my father was so abrasive. I’m sure the last thing you want is to be yelled at in return for saving our lives.”

“Wouldn’t be the first time, and it certainly won’t be the last. And I’m Gen – I’m Beta.”

“Just Beta? No fancy title?”

“Do you really want me to say ‘General Beta Regant of the Grand Army of the Republic’? Because I can.”

“No, no, that’s not necessary.” He drew closer to her, his lekku swaying animatedly with his arms. “So where is your army, by the way? Or is Ryloth getting the army-of-one treatment?” 

Frowning at his flirtatious advances, Beta kept her eyes on where his hands were going. “They’re on their way. I got a headstart when I bailed from my ship before it crashed.”

“So what now? You’re going to move on to the next village? Why don’t you stay here until they come?”

“No offense, but I don’t think I’d be welcome here,” answered Beta, glancing sideways at Oumor, who was keeping an eye on them while assisting in the clean-up. “It’s best if I go meet up with the resistance forces.” 

Oojon deflated a noticeable amount, then perked up when he got an idea. “How far are they from here? I’ll escort you.” 

Already facing the other direction, Beta rolled her eyes to the sky. “You’re better off here. I get the feeling they don’t like outsiders.”

“But what if I could help them? Join them, maybe?”

She turned her head to look at him. “If you’re just looking to spend more time with me, it won’t be worth it. As soon as I hear that the ground assault has begun, I’ll be rendezvousing with the Republic forces – and you won’t be able to accompany me. I also can’t be responsible for your safety if there’s an attack.”

“Oh-ho! But you’re responsible for the safety of an entire village for no other reason than ‘you were in the neighborhood’? Maybe my father was right. Maybe you are just a tourist.” Oojon’s face betrayed his hurt at her flippancy. “I was planning on joining the resistance anyway – before you sailed in to save the day. I promised myself if I escaped, I would do what I could to fight back against the droids. I even tried to fight them when they invaded. Why do you think we were all in binders?”

Beta bit her lip when she realized how presumptuous she’d been. Running her hands through her hair, she relented. “ _ Fine.  _ You got a blurg? You’re gonna need a mount to ride with them. And a blaster. I’ll wait for you on the outskirts of the village while you gather your things and say good-bye.”

Oojon lit up with excitement. “I’ve been waiting a long time for a shot like this. I won’t let you down.”

“It’s not me you gotta worry about… it’s your planet. I’m just a tourist.”

~

The sun beat down on Beta while she stood waiting for Oojon, hoping he would suddenly be overcome with the gravity of the choice he was making and not show up. His interest in her, coupled with the conversation she’d had with Shik on her way to the village, was even more unsettling. Relationships outside of her familial ties to the Kal, the clones, and the Jedi were rare. In fact, the only remotely romantic feelings she’d ever felt were for Boba Fett, who happened to be the only person on Kamino close to her age.

Chancellor Palpatine’s offer of a pathway to her choice of post-war life always rose in the back of her mind when she thought of Boba Fett. What  _ if  _ she could find him and they could run off together? But the thought of her biological family on Mandalore was also a tantalizing opportunity – one the Chancellor was unaware of yet. Ever since Kal had informed her of her birth into House Kryze and her brother’s existence, she knew she would need to meet them someday, even if she was already formally adopted into Clan Skirata. 

The months following her capture by General Grievous had been marked with campaign after campaign of gaining ground on some planets and losing ground on others. Ever since her rescue, Kenobi and Sergeant Skirata had engaged in an unspoken tug-of-war over her training regimen, not unlike the disagreement between Kal and Jango on Kamino. Kal’s training focused on hand-to-hand combat and her new Mandalorian gauntlets; Kenobi emphasized lightsaber combat and meditation. 

Beta was also becoming closer friends with Ahsoka Tano. Obi-Wan and Anakin allowed her to spar with the Padawan when they were on the same cruiser. It was nice to have a female around her age to talk to about the war. Both felt similarly that the Jedi held a hypocritical position in the war: peacekeepers who were the military leaders the Senate relied on.

As the war evolved, so had Beta’s appearance and persona. The snippy youth from Kamino was now a more reserved adolescent struggling with her internalized trauma from numerous battles, not to mention her torture at the hands of Grievous. She’d seen so many clone brothers fall in combat, felt their deaths in the Force, and privately mourned them in her chambers once the last battle droid was dispatched. Her characteristic playfulness remained, but it only reared its head when she could tell nobody was expecting it. Her outfits mirrored the woman she was becoming: practical yet comfortable, with a host of tricks and tools up her sleeve.

And the thought of a random character messing with her status quo and coping mechanisms aggravated her to no end. So when she looked up from her musings to see Oojon riding a blurg with a packed bag towards her, her heart felt even more exasperated, if that was possible. 

“Hey, Beta! I’m ready to go!”

“...Great.”

~

The short journey to find the resistance forces was an uncomfortable one, to say the least. Oojon let Beta ride on the back of the blurg behind him, and more than once, she’d needed to remind him to watch where his lekku moved. 

When Cham Syndulla saw them, he waved them down. “General Regant! Returned from your altruistic mission?”

She took the opportunity to slide off the blurg and walk the rest of the way. “Mission accomplished, General Syndulla. I’ve also brought along a recruit who eagerly volunteered.”

Cham sized up Oojon. “You volunteered to leave everything behind? Do you have family?”

“Yes, and I don’t care what they think of me leaving,” answered Oojon. “They called me crazy for going. I called them crazy for staying. And that’s when I left.”

“Just because you’re willing to join our forces doesn’t mean you have what it takes to survive against the droid armies. Can you shoot?”

“I’m a fair shot. I imagine I’ll get more practice fighting the droids.”

Syndulla stared at him intensely. “Or you’ll die because you haven’t been trained properly. I’m giving you one last chance to return home before you get yourself killed.” 

Oojon looked to Beta for support, but she simply returned his gaze placidly with her hands resting on her belt. “I want to fight. I don’t want to see the Separatists keep any more villages hostage.”

“And what if it’s something you can’t prevent? Are you going to do something rash that endangers the lives of our forces if it doesn’t go the way you want? Think carefully before you respond.”

A pause, then, “I think I can manage that.”

“We’ll hold you to that.”

Beta nodded slowly. She took the reins of the spare blurg that Shik offered her and mounted the animal. Just as the group started moving, Beta received a transmission on her holocomm.

_ “General Regant, this is General Kenobi. Do you copy?” _

His voice was such a welcome sound that brought a flash of an overjoyed smile to Beta’s face. “I copy, General Kenobi. What’s your status?”

_ “We’ve cleared the surface-to-air cannons in the southern hemisphere and completed our landing. I even got to free a village.” _

“You by yourself? Or you and a squad of clone troopers?”

_ “I had some help from Ghost Company.” _

“Oh, that’s… that’s nice, General.”

Kenobi’s holographic image frowned at her for a long second, his arms crossed, before responding,  _ “I assume your mission was a success as well?” _

“It was indeed.  _ And  _ I made contact with the resistance forces on Ryloth.”

_ “Well done, Beta. Master Windu is headed your way with the rest of the Republic forces. It’ll be up to you to negotiate cooperation on both sides. He should be there by the next rotation.” _

Beta’s stomach twisted with anxiety at the thought of peaceful negotiation. She knew all of the Twi’leks were listening to every word. “Yes, General Kenobi. Where will you be?”

_ “I need to return to Coruscant. You will remain on Ryloth until Master Windu directs you elsewhere. May the Force be with you.” _

The transmission cut out and she sighed internally. She’d never been on a mission with Mace Windu without Obi-Wan present. Her nightmares of the Geonosian arena where she relived Master Windu chopping off Jango Fett’s head over and over rose to the front of her mind.

General Syndulla walked over to her with a stern look on his face. “Your General Kenobi can assume all he wants, but unless we can guarantee Ryloth’s liberty from Separatist  _ and _ Republic forces, I won’t help the Republic. And I am prepared to use your liberty as a bartering chip as well.”

An uncomfortable prickle in Beta’s senses made her posture straighten instantly. “What exactly do you mean by that?”

“What I mean is, we will give you safe quarters in our camp, but when the Republic arrives asking for our help, you will not be allowed to leave the planet unless you take your entire army with you. What I  _ can _ assure you of is that no harm will come to you while you’re our guest.”

Beta sighed again, this time audibly. “You know, the last time I was someone’s  _ guest,  _ things turned south quickly. But I see I don’t really have a choice in the matter if it helps the success of the campaign.”

“Well-negotiated, General Regant. This way to the camp.”


	16. The Game of Negotiation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The arrival of the Republic forces on Ryloth leads Beta to carefully navigate what could be a testy relationship between the Jedi and the Twi’lek freedom fighters.

The freedom fighters set off on their blurgs at a brisk pace. Oojon managed to squeeze his blurg next to Beta’s in the pack during their journey, much to her and Shik’s chagrin. “I think you’re not just a  _ well _ negotiator – you’re a  _ great _ negotiator!”

Beta shot him a glance without even turning her head to let him know his attempt at humor wasn’t appreciated. “Thanks.”

“Look, I know we got off to a rough start, Beta, but we’re on the same side, right?”

“Yeah. We are. But the Republic is on their way, and with them, Jedi Master Mace Windu. He’s one of the leading generals, second only to Master Yoda.”

“Who is this Master Windu to you?” asked Shik. 

“He’s a great warrior. Very respected in the Jedi Order.”

“I didn’t ask who he was to the Jedi Order. I asked who he was to  _ you.” _

“Our introduction wasn’t exactly conventional. We met in battle. Thankfully, we were fighting on the same side; otherwise, I wouldn’t have lasted long. My mentor, on the other hand… he was fighting against Master Windu. And he lost.”

“This war isn’t black and white, Republican versus Separatist, Beta,” Shik said soothingly to Beta. “Your clone troopers have faces and personalities, and the droids are faceless. It makes it easier to imagine the Separatists as a soulless enemy. Like your mentor, who meant a lot to you, those who live on Separatist worlds aren’t faceless.”

“That’s why my father thinks the Jedi and the clones are tourists,” said Oojon, a revelation dawning on his face. “The armies on  _ both _ sides seem to be faceless armies conquering whichever world they come to. So if I was a Separatist, I think I would actively fight against the clones if I could.”

Beta was more than a little troubled by the conversation. It was hard to think of her clone brothers as anything but allies. “The droid armies inflict tyranny everywhere they go, though. And they don’t care for the people on the planets they’re quote-unquote _ fighting for _ .” 

Shik chuckled lightly. “You’re a warrior, yes, but you have much to learn about why the war you fight was started in the first place! The problems aren’t centered around who took the first shot at the beginning of the war; they have been building for years and years. Just like the clone army rose to fight to preserve the Republic, so the droid army was raised to fight for the Separatists’ liberty. I’ve traveled to Separatist worlds and the picture their people paint of the Republic is not a good one.”

As Shik talked, Beta felt a growing uneasiness in her stomach. “We need to stop!”

“Stop the war? I agree,” Oojon said.

“No, I mean stop the blurgs!”

Cham heard her and brought his blurg to a halt. The rest of his forces followed suit. “What is it?”

“Danger’s close by.”

“Droids?”

“Yes, they –”

“It’s the freedom fighters!  _ Blast ‘em!” _

Beta looked up to see a patrol of Super and regular Battle Droids on top of the ridge they were passing under. “They have the high ground! Take cover!”

The droids began raining blaster fire on the freedom fighters, terrifying the blurgs and sending them running in all directions. Beta managed to leap from her steed before she became deep-fried Mandalorian. “General Syndulla! Take your fighters and get them out of there! I’ll hold off the droids!”

Several of the Twi’leks had already fallen to the droids. Blasting away at the droids was Oojon, his fear evident on his face. Shik began dragging him out of the line of fire. “You’re brave, kid, but now isn’t the time to be stupid.”

Leaping up to the top of the ridge so she was level with the droids, Beta sent a Force shockwave through them that took out half of the patrol. They focused all of their fire on her – at least, until Cham and Shik climbed up the ridge to join the fight.

“The idea was for me to protect you!” Beta yelled, frustrated.

“Wasn’t your decision to make, General!” retorted Syndulla.

“We do this together,” added Shik. 

Beta sighed and refocused on dispatching the droids. Her lightsaber and blaster were a blur of motion, and with her companions’ help, the droids were soon destroyed. Wiping her forehead, she holstered her weapons and used her binocs to scan the area. “There’s bound to be another patrol coming along. I think it’s best if we retreat to your hideout as quickly as possible.”

“We must bury our dead first,” Shik said. “It’s the one way we can honor their sacrifice.”

Cham nodded. “Your quick thinking saved a great many of us, General Regant. It will not be forgotten when you leave this planet.”

“So I’m free to go?”

Chuckling, the male Twi’lek shook his head. “Not exactly. My verdict from earlier still stands. You’re free to leave if your army leaves with you.”

~

After burying the fallen resistance forces with the rest of the Twi’leks, Beta paused for a moment and looked somberly at the gravestones. Shik stepped up beside her and put her arm around the teenager’s shoulders. Beta’s initial tension at the unsolicited touch relaxed into a deep exhale. “Who will tell their families they’re gone?”

“Like me, most of them left behind families to fight for Ryloth’s liberty,” was the quiet response. “Once the planet is free, we can try to find their families and tell them of their sacrifice. A couple of them brought their families with them into hiding, so General Syndulla will inform them.” Shik paused, debating whether or not to press the issue, before asking, “Do you have family of your own?”

“I was adopted, but my father is probably fighting on some other planet right now. So I consider whichever clones I fight with to be my family.”

“Everyone needs a family, biological or chosen. The freedom fighters are mine.”

A sad smile tugged at Beta’s lips. “Maybe one day I’ll meet the biological family I have left. But there’s a war to fight, so it’ll have to – wait. Someone’s approaching from the south! Tell your forces to hide again, General Syndulla!”

“Only if we all hide this time and wait for the right time to attack! We need to be more cautious.”

Beta nodded at him and found a tall rock pillar to climb and hide behind. She closed her eyes and reached out with the Force like Obi-Wan taught her, trying to understand the situation. The closest approaching life forms didn’t feel hostile, but there’s another droid patrol right behind them.” 

“Wait for  _ my _ call on this, General,” ordered Cham.

Biting her lip and taking a deep breath, Beta drew her weapons again. The sound of the droids’ footsteps came closer and closer. Her eyes widened when she recognized the familiar presence of Jedi Master Mace Windu. Before she could signal Cham, though, he ordered the attack on the droids by waving his hand silently in their direction. 

Beta opted to snipe the droids from her post behind the rock pillar instead of engaging them on the ground. When they were all turned to scrap metal, she flipped down and landed lightly in the middle of the wreckage. “I was wondering when you’d make contact, Master Windu,” she greeted loudly. “You could’ve just called.”

His dark face appeared from underneath a shallow ridge below her. Before she even blinked, he jumped up and faced Beta, staring down at her with his usual eerie calm. “Couldn’t risk your position being exposed. Where is Cham Syndulla?”

“I’m here,” Cham responded, coming out with his blaster raised. “I do think General Regant had the better entrance though. She made quite the impression.”

It didn’t take much to make Beta uncomfortable around Mace Windu, and this instance was no difference. She sensed his gaze linger on her with hidden exasperation as he said, “We instructed her to form a relationship with you since she decided to land ahead of schedule. I’m glad to see she did as she was ordered. I’ll be taking over the negotiations from here.”

Two of Windu’s Advanced Reconnaissance Force troopers, Stak and Razor, were standing behind him now. They saluted Beta dutifully, but that was the only acknowledgement she received from them in front of Mace. 

Syndulla smiled slyly at Master Windu. “She has indeed done as she was commanded, but just because you’re here doesn’t mean I’ll agree to help you at all. While the actions of General Regant in freeing the village are a good representation of what you wish to accomplish, I have reservations about what would happen when the planet is liberated. Come, I will show you where the rest of my people are staying so we can talk in safety.”

Nodding, Mace stepped forward in front of Beta to walk alongside Syndulla, leaving her with the clones, and behind them, the rest of the Twi’leks.

~

General Syndulla led the group into a cave hidden behind a fallen droid landing craft. Largely ignoring Beta, Master Windu engaged in hushed conversation with Cham about the situation on Ryloth. 

To distract herself, Beta decided to catch up with the two ARF troopers. “Razor, Stak – how goes it?” she muttered quietly to them.

“As well as can be expected, General,” answered Razor. “You?”

“Same.”

Stak nudged her in the ribs. “You’re missed back at the garrison on Coruscant, General. Hope you make it back there soon.”

“Yeah? Ready to get your butt kicked on the sparring mats again?”

“Ordo was right – you  _ are _ a shab,” Stak said, wrapping his elbow around the back of her neck and bending her over so he could mess up her hair. Her laughter made Windu turn around and raise his eyebrow at her briefly.

“Break it up, break it up,” Oojon said, pushing his way to the front. He began puffing his chest out to make himself seem bigger. “These clones bothering you, Beta?”

Beta smirked playfully, then pretended to fall into his arms. “Oh, thank the Maker, my Twi’lek protector is here! This clone trooper just attacked me!”

“That’s… why I’m here,” he answered, laughing nervously. 

“Did the general find herself a boyfriend?” snickered Razor. 

_ “Boyfriend? _ I don’t think so.” This time it was Shik joining the banter. “I had dibs on her the moment she fell out of the sky. Literally. She fell out of the sky and landed quite gracefully.” Her middle and index fingers tiptoed their way up Beta’s arm.

“Maybe you should crash-land before we arrive more often, General. Seems you make friends with the locals pretty easily.”

By now, the group was sitting in a circle in a cavernous area. Twi’lek families and resistance fighters milled around, and when they saw the newcomers, a female brought them some drinks. A small Twi’lek girl with green skin sat down in Beta’s lap without waiting for an invitation.

“Hello there,” Beta greeted, balancing her drink as the child reached up to touch her face. “What’s your name?”

Shik laughed gently. “She doesn’t understand Basic yet, but her name is Hera. This is General Syndulla’s daughter.”

Beta automatically shot a nervous glance at Cham, who was, predictably, keeping an eye on her. He gave her the tiniest of nods to let her know this was allowed. Hera busied herself playing with her binocs.

Looking around at her circle of companions, she couldn’t help but feel she was needed elsewhere. Maybe a few months ago, she would have stayed and chatted with the clones and anyone else who was around. The fact remained that she was a general and not a rank-and-file trooper. 

~

“Your young general certainly has a knack for diplomacy,” noted Cham. “Who knows if we’d be sitting here right now if it wasn’t for her.”

Windu frowned. “She’s not a Jedi. She doesn’t have enough control of herself to be trusted with important assignments such as those.”

“Maybe her not being a Jedi is exactly what is needed.” The Twi’lek leader sipped his drink, looking over at the teenager. “Her ability to adapt to the different personalities she interacts with serves the Republic well. While I understand her early arrival was not intended, you should consider sending her early…  _ on purpose. _ ”

A group of female Twi’lek dancers started performing, and Master Windu tried to turn the subject back to negotiation – only to pause when he caught Beta’s gaze. He quickly motioned for her to join him and Cham, which she did immediately, still holding Hera. Shik and Oojon both tried and failed to hide their disappointment.

“Master Windu. General Syndulla,” she greeted, inclining her head and sitting down behind them in the lean-to. 

The child became bored and scampered away. This left Beta to sip her drink and listen quietly while Syndulla recounted the hardships inflicted on the Twi’leks by the Separatists. Hearing the stories about how the droid armies ravaged the population made her hands shake with rage, yet Shik’s words about the natives of the Separatist planets kept rising to the forefront of her mind. If those people rebelled against their confederacy, would the droids destroy them too? When the topic shifted naturally into the Jedi’s request for help, Beta straightened her back as if it would help her listen better. 

“I don’t trust Senator Orn Free Taa,” Syndulla was saying. “He sees me as a potential usurper who would assume command of the people. All I want is a free Ryloth.”

“Then why won’t you help us? We’ll make sure the Republic helps keep Ryloth’s freedom.”

“Getting rid of the Separatists will remove one oppressive army from the planet, yes – but if the Republic occupies the planet, I wonder when I’ll be shooting at you, Master Jedi?”

“So what is it that you want?”

“When the planet is free from the Separatists, it must also be free from the Republic forces. Otherwise, your young general will not be returning to Coruscant with you.”

Mace’s face showed genuine surprise and he looked back at Beta, whose face remained remarkably  _ un _ surprised. “You knew about this?” he demanded.

“I agreed to it,” she said placidly. Her eyes maintained direct contact with his dark gaze.

“You didn’t think you should’ve mentioned that detail sooner?”

“Would we be on friendly terms with General Syndulla right now if I immediately mentioned this was a hostage situation?”

_ “Ha. _ General Regant knows how to play this game,” chuckled Syndulla. 

“I see what you’re getting at,” Mace acknowledged. “If she’d told me immediately that she was a hostage, it would have sowed mistrust, not friendship between the resistance fighters and the Republic. The work she’s accomplished would’ve fallen by the wayside.”

“More of a chance for me to leave Ryloth if the relationship continued on an upward trajectory. I wagered that the negotiations would progress better on friendly terms,” said Beta amicably. 

Master Windu continued staring at her for another long moment. This silent consideration was interrupted by his commlink’s buzzing. “Commander Ponds, what is it?”

_ “General Windu, sir – the Separatists are bombing the villages! They’re not even aiming for us.” _

The whole room went quiet, save for the rattle of Beta’s cup hitting the floor. She hadn’t rescued an entire village just to have droid starfighters kill all of the villagers. Echoing this sentiment was the grief on Cham’s face, an expression of his internal conflict about the situation. 

Oojon stood up and drew his blaster. “I’ve got to go back to my village! I’ve got to see if my father –”

Shik leapt to her feet just as quickly. She placed his hands on his shoulders.  _ “No,  _ Oojon! Remember the promise you made. You said you wouldn’t act rashly!”

“But what if my village was one of the ones destroyed?”

It was Beta’s turn to stand and walk over to him, one hand on her lightsaber. She stared into his eyes when she said, “You will sit back down, Oojon. You’re safer in here than out there.”

He immediately relaxed and sat down again. “I’ll stay here. I’ll be safer.”

“Good. Do me a favor and don’t do anything stupid while I’m gone.”

“I… won’t do anything stupid while you’re gone.”

Shik watched this exchange with great interest, and only she caught the ghost of a smirk when Beta turned away. 

Syndulla nudged Mace and said, “She just saved my men a load of trouble with her Jedi mind trick. Set up the call with Senator Taa. I wish to negotiate with him.”


	17. Much Potential

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Beta’s negotiation skills are put to the test as additional players join the campaign.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally overcame some writer’s block - haven’t felt much like writing recently thanks to global events. This chapter will dovetail into Beta’s next mission in the following chapter.

Master Windu beckoned Beta to accompany him during his call to Senator Orn Free Taa. “You’ll be taking the lead on completing this mission, Beta. Your instincts have served you well. Perhaps I should have consulted with you earlier.”

“No offense taken, Master Windu. You outrank me and it was your prerogative to assume the lead on the negotiations when you arrived.”

“Why did you agree to be a hostage in the first place?”

“I would rather be a willing hostage than an unwilling one. It also helped Syndulla understand my priority was the safety of his people above my own life.”

Mace nodded. “You’ve thoroughly impressed me on this assignment, Beta. I confess I had reservations about your promotion to general after Geonosis, but it’s clear it was the right decision.”

Nodding and looking down at her feet, Beta struggled to express her appreciation for his admission. “I – thank you, Master Windu.”

“Beta?”

“Yes, Master?”

“I sense you have your own reservations.”

It was no use lying to him, Beta decided. “Forgive me, Master Windu. I don’t have the best memories of Geonosis, or of our first meeting.”

“Go on.”

“When I was growing up on Kamino, Jango Fett and his son Boba were like family to me. Jango trained me from the day he arrived to give his DNA for the creation of the clone army. I can’t justify his attacking you on Geonosis, but –”

“But you still saw me kill someone who was responsible for getting you to where you are today. I see, and I understand what your feelings must be. I assure you, I only acted in self-defense, which is what Jedi are trained to do. I hope you can find it within yourself to forgive me. After all, if you’re carrying any bitterness, it’s like drinking poison yourself but expecting the other person to die.”

Once again, Beta’s mouth felt paper-dry, but the words left her anyway: “I forgive you, and I would’ve done the same thing if he’d attacked me.”

“I’m glad to hear it. Now let’s finalize this treaty between the senator and Cham Syndulla.”

~

When Cham entered the communications room where Senator Taa’s holographic image was displayed, Beta assumed her usual reserved attitude and inscrutable expression. 

Instead of breaking the ice, Syndulla managed to make the atmosphere even more icy. “Senator Taa. Enjoying the comforts of Coruscant while I’m here on Ryloth where the people need me?”

_ “See?  _ I knew you would try to take power while I was off-planet!” accused the senator.

As if on cue, Anakin commed Mace.  _ “Master Windu! Ahsoka and I are doing our best to clear out the droid bombers, but there are too many of them! They’re everywhere!” _

“We  _ need _ those skies cleared so we can begin our attack to retake the capital,” replied Windu. “Do what you can.”

The news from Skywalker had a sobering effect on Cham and Orn Free Taa. “So much needless death,” Syndulla lamented. “The Separatists just want to lay waste to what we love.”

Beta seized the opportunity to drive home the point for their conference call. “In order to free Lessu, you’ll both need to work together. The Republic can only do so much here without your cooperation. It’s your planet; what do you think is best for the people?”

Sighing, Senator Taa said, “I’ll make sure the Republic forces withdraw after the planet is liberated. There will be no military occupation of the planet.”

“General Syndulla, what are your concessions?”

“I will not try to assume power while Senator Taa is on Coruscant. I only want to see Ryloth freed.”

Beta was relieved they had come to an accord; her face betrayed no emotion, however. “Thank you, Senator Taa and General Syndulla. The Republic forces will immediately begin preparations to take the city. May the Force be with us all.”

With that, she bowed to the senator and turned off the holocomm. Syndulla clapped her on the shoulder. “A fine negotiation, General Regant. The Republic certainly acquired a fine asset when they granted you the rank of general despite not being a part of the Jedi Order. And because of your own skill and tact, you’re free to leave Ryloth with the Republic army.” He turned to look at Mace. “I do hope you continue to realize her potential.” 

Windu pursed his lips. “Let’s just make it through the battle for Lessu. Beta, you’ll be joining me on the frontlines with the resistance forces… and some additional reinforcements who joined Ghost Company when the southern hemisphere was secured.”

~

“Well, well, well, Beta,” Sergeant Skirata said, clenching Beta’s hand in greeting. “Word’s spread throughout the army. You’re becoming quite the military leader.”

“For better or worse, Sergeant,” Beta said, standing in front of him at the base of the docking ramp. Behind her were Shik and Oojon; they were flanking her like protective bodyguards despite her protestations. She was careful to address him using his rank, and her slight upward eyebrow twitch let him know she expected the same courtesy.

Ordo teased, “All these tales of the teenaged general freeing villages and negotiating treaties – I don’t believe a word of them!” He mussed Beta’s hair on his way down the shuttle ramp, only to stop short at the site of the two Twi’leks. 

“Doesn’t matter what you hear or believe, her hair will always look better than yours,” A’den ad-libbed. “And so will her face.”

The other Nulls disembarked behind Kal, Ordo, and A’den. The sergeant scowled at Oojon and Shik. “Who are these folks? Have you replaced us already?”

“Wouldn’t dream of it,” responded Beta shortly. “I’m just better at making friends than you are. And better-looking.”

“You can say that again,” Oojon muttered, smirking – only to stop short when everyone looked at him. “Sorry, did I say that out loud?”

_ “Yes,”  _ snapped Shik before she turned her attention to Kal and the Nulls. “General Syndulla assigned us to be liaisons for your mission.”

“What, does he not trust us?”

“I requested Shik’s company.”

“I volunteered!” chimed in Oojon. “Those Separatists need to pay for what they did to my village.”

Beta stared at the male Twi’lek in exasperation.  _ “As I was saying. _ They know Lessu better than we do. If we’re going to do this mission right, we’ll need them.”

“And what exactly is our mission?”

“As soon as General Windu takes control of the bridge, we’re pushing through the droid forces to arrest Wat Tambor before he escapes. Windu tasked me with bringing an end to this occupation and that’s what I plan to do.”

“We’ll be there with you all the way, General,” Prudii said, and all of the Nulls echoed him enthusiastically.

Beta heard Mace coming up behind her, so she turned to face him respectfully. It was encouraging to notice he no longer narrowed his eyes slightly when he made eye contact. “General Windu. I was just bringing the squad up to speed. We’re ready when you are.”

“Good, good. The time for our assault has come. I suggest you figure out how you’re getting across the bridge. We’ll need all of our forces to cross the bridge immediately.”

“If you need to cross in a hurry, I suggest you take the blurrgs,” Shik said. “They’re faster than your fancy walkers.”

“But the blurrgs don’t have blasters on ‘em,” A’den shot back. 

Pinching the bridge of her nose and sighing, Beta mediated, “We need to get across first to capture Wat Tambor, so we’ll be taking blurrgs. I’m sure the Nulls are skilled enough to use their own blasters while they’re riding. Let’s go inside to discuss strategy.”

~

After gathering around the command table inside the cave, Beta outlined her plan for capturing the Separatist leader. “We can’t attack from the air because of the bombers and surface-to-air cannons, which means our only routes are through his citadel or scaling the cliff to the landing platform. Once we cross the bridge, I’ll lead Sergeant Skirata, the Nulls, and Shik to the base of the cliff, where we’ll make the climb with our grappling hooks. Our goal, obviously, is to capture Wat Tambor alive and return him to the Senate for trial. He may be on the landing pad, he may not be. But he certainly won’t be escaping the city.”

“And what about me?” Oojon demanded. 

“What about you?” Beta snapped.

“I want to be there when you arrest him. He bombed my village. I want him to  _ pay. _ ”

All eyes were on Beta to see how she responded. “If you want to make someone suffer on top of bringing them to justice, you’re on the wrong side of the war. The Republic needs to operate differently than the Separatists. You’ll be staying on the ground.”

“What General Regant says is correct,” echoed Mace. “I also don’t feel comfortable letting you on this mission if you can’t keep a level head. There’s too much at stake.”

There was a long minute of stony silence in the war room with Oojon staring at Beta like she’d betrayed him. Finally, he relented. “Okay. Fine. I’ll stay on the ground.”

Beta sensed he wasn’t being entirely honest but didn’t care to address it immediately. Windu had already begun laying out his plan to take the bridge to the Twi’leks and clones. For a moment, she felt like she was standing in another person’s body: the perfect military leader, attentive, reserved, stone-faced, arms folded across her chest. Her true self, the one itching to run far away and live with the Mandalorians where she could push her physicality and Force powers to the brink, was screaming for release. She wasn’t sure how long she could keep this part of herself locked up. 

Once Master Windu finished his part, she put both hands on the table and said clearly, “Tambor may be the Separatist leader on Ryloth, but let’s be real: he’s not the one calling the shots, Dooku is. I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s ordered Tambor to evacuate already, then bomb the city once their troops are out. We need to flush him out before that happens – starting now. Let’s roll out, and may the Force be with us.” Without looking at Mace or Kal for approval, she turned on her heel and left the cave. 

The energy in the room surged into action, and clones and Twi’leks alike followed her. As Kal walked behind her, he muttered to Mace, “Did the Jedi teach her that? ‘Cause I didn’t.”

“Certainly not me. Kenobi, perhaps, but this is my first mission with her.”

“You were there when she was picked up on Geonosis, weren’t you?”

“Yes. Are you going to ask why we decided to allow her to lead the clones?”

“Something like that.”

Windu paused before they caught up to Beta, who was surveying the landscape of the city with Cham. “I voted against her promotion to general because I thought she was too young. I wanted her to remain a commander. The Council promoted her because there aren’t enough Jedi to go around and she is a true military leader. Remember, Jedi are supposed to be keepers of the peace.”

“And what about after the war? Will you be able to still live in peace?”

“Of course,” Windu said in exasperation. “It’s what we’re meant to do.”

“What about Beta? She’s no Jedi. What will you do with her then?”

“We’ll cross that bridge when we get to it, unless there’s something you have in mind.”

“Now that you mention it, there is…”


	18. Liberation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The final battle to retake Ryloth takes place, but it is not the triumph Beta envisioned.

The warm Ryloth wind whipped Beta’s hair as she rode her blurrg over the crest of the hill that provided a clear vantage point over Lessu. Flanking her were the Nulls, Sergeant Skirata, Mace, Cham, and Shik. She remained poised as she surveyed Lessu with her macrobinoculars. 

“What are you thinking, General?” Ordo asked her, steering his steed so he was level with hers.

“I’m thinking General Windu needs to find a way to smuggle himself across that plasma bridge. Two transports heading our way at point-eight. Seems like they’re filled with treasure, but if they are going to the city, they’re our ticket in.”

Nodding and smiling softly, he clasped her shoulder. “I know we give you a hard time and all, but you’ve come a long way from your training days on Kamino. It’s an honor to see you lead your troops. Maybe one day you’ll look back on our tough love fondly…?”

“Like how you all snuck up on me when I was training  _ blindfolded?” _

“I feel particularly bad about that day.”

“I beat you all  _ blindfolded. _ One of the proudest days of my life.”

“She beat you all blindfolded?” Shik said, pulling up alongside them. “What else can she do blindfolded?”

“Knock both of you off of your blurrgs, that’s what.”

Shik chortled. “Only if you land on top of me.”

“I was gonna say the same thing to you, gorgeous,” Ordo shot at the Twi’lek – only to receive a swift slap across the face.

The rip of laughter that came from Beta made the clone troopers jump. “I’ve wanted to do that to him for  _ years. _ ”

“What’s going on here?” demanded Windu, causing the smile to evaporate on Beta’s face. “How are we getting across the bridge?”

Without skipping a beat, Beta pointed at two droid transports trundling along the cliff wall towards the bridge. “There’s your ride, Master Windu. Transports carrying some loot going into the city.”

“Well done. I’ll take Stak and Razor and stow away aboard the transports. As soon as the bridge is secure, you and the Nulls lead the charge.”

Cham arrived on Beta’s left-hand side. “They scan those transports for organic material and they’ll catch you.”

“It’s a risk we have to take,” said Mace firmly. “Stak, Razor – let’s go.”

“Sir, yes, sir!”

Beta watched the trio creep over the ridge to catch the transports unawares, then she returned to scanning the Lessu landscape for any signs of her crashed Y-wing. Her concentration was interrupted by Oojon, whose blurrg bumped hers. “What are you doing here? You’re staying on the ground, remember?”

“Doesn’t mean I can’t be at the front of the attack,” he pouted. 

“You’re not wrong. But a word of caution… if it looks like you’re endangering the mission, there’s a good chance you’ll get hurt, and not necessarily by the clankers.”

Oojon glanced apprehensively at Ordo, who emitted a low growl. “Okay, okay, point taken.”

“General, are you seeing what they’re doing with the civilians?” Kal said.

“Pushing them outside the city? Yeah, I see it. Using them as a shield. Classic Seppy move. Good thing we’ve got another way in.”

“If they don’t deactivate the bridge first…”

Beta pursed her lips. “Master Windu will get the job done. He’s not second only to Master Yoda for nothing.”

Silence fell over the group, which allowed the young general to hone in on the two transports moving across the bridge. The carriers were halted midway for inspection and two battle droids began their scans for organic material on the first transport. Beta closed her eyes and reached out for Master Windu’s presence in the Force. The Jedi Master felt prepared for anything; Stak and Razor, while more apprehensive, were also ready to run at a moment’s notice. 

Sure enough, the droids moved to the second transport and discovered Windu and the clones just a little too late: they burst out with blasters firing and the Jedi’s lightsaber swinging. There were several exclamations of worry when the bridge disappeared.

“C’mon, Windu…” muttered Beta under her breath. Mace used a mighty Force push to vault the clones to safety. He then began leaping upwards from the transports towards the edge of the cliff. 

“He’s not gonna make it!” Syndulla burst out.

Beta saw he was right: the jump from the last droid carrier was too far even for a powerful Jedi like Master Windu. She held her hand out and stopped his fall with the Force, an arduous task over such a long distance, and lifted him up to the ground level. When he was finally safe, she released her hold. 

“Steady, General,” said Shik, clasping her shoulder.

“I’m good, I’m good,” the teenager gasped. “Have they taken the bridge control tower yet?”

“No, but they’re on their way.”

She wiped sweat from her eyes and returned to gazing through her binocs. In the three months since her capture and rescue, Master Kenobi had worked with her on slipping into a meditative stance before engaging in battle, so she used the precious few moments before the bridge flickered on to steady herself and bolster the troops’ confidence.

_ “Charge!”  _ was her strangled cry as soon as the bridge activated. An enormous roar resounded from the clones and Twi’leks behind her, and a thundering stampede towards the bridge began. The few seconds of meditation had helped immensely – she could tell by the new energy flooding her body and her troops’ sudden enthusiasm for the task at hand.

She ignited her lightsaber and held it high like a banner before deflecting the blasterfire from the defending droids. As promised, the blurrgs quickly outpaced the walkers. Kal and the Nulls were adaptable to their new steeds, and their accuracy didn’t skip a beat. Beta felt like she was back on Kamino with them, just doing another training exercise. When they reached the other side, they stampeded over the battle droids, through the gates, and into Lessu. Beta slashed through droid after droid as she sped past them, not feeling even slightly fatigued. 

Windu entered the main fortress and began fighting his way to the landing platform while simultaneously dispatching the remaining droids. Beta led her squad to the base of the rock structure and held off the Separatists forces standing back-to-back with Kal while Shik and the Nulls secured their grappling hooks.

“Not a bad operation at all, Beta!” shouted Skirata over the noise of the battle.

“We can congratulate each other when it’s done!”

When she determined there was sufficient time for them to make their ascent, Beta broke away, fired her grappling hook from her gauntlet, and let it automatically pull her up the rock wall. She grinned watching the world fall away beneath her, then caught Shik’s eye, who winked at her.

The squad reached the edge of the landing platform to find Wat Tambor cursing to himself. There were no ships around, just him. As if on cue, Windu and Syndulla emerged from inside the fortress. Beta pointed her lightsaber at the Separatist leader and declared, “In the name of the Galactic Republic, you are under arrest, Wat Tambor.”

“I can’t believe that stupid strategy droid left me behind!” fumed Tambor.

“You’re finally going to answer for your crimes against my planet and the galaxy,” spat Cham. “Ryloth will be free again!”

~

Oojon made sure he was right behind Beta the entire way across the bridge. Her energy was infectious, bolstering his own spirits; her lightsaber deflected and redirected blaster bolts from battle droids. When they reached the other side, the troops burst through the gate and overran the droids standing guard.

“Someone free the civilians!” she barked, and three Twi’leks broke off from the pack to liberate the hostages. “Nulls and Shik – on me!” Her squad set up their grappling hooks at the base of the cliff while she and Kal stood back-to-back fending off the battle droids. As soon as the area was clear, Beta fired the grappling hook from her gauntlet and allowed it to pull herself up parallel to the clones and Shik.

It only took Oojon a split-second to make up his mind and disobey his orders with barely any regard for what the consequences could be. How could they possibly have time to punish him in the wake of their celebrations when the planet was recaptured? All he wanted to do was make sure justice was served to the Separatists for what they did to his village. He steered his blurrg toward the other side of the rock wall and began climbing without any kind of safety rope. He’d always been good at climbing the rocks around his village; the Twi’lek youth used to envy his gifts. 

As he finally pulled himself over the ledge of the landing platform, he whipped out his blaster and pointed it at Wat Tambor, who was standing with his arms raised in surrender. Beta, the Nulls, Shik, General Syndulla, and Master Windu were all wearing looks of triumph on their faces. 

Oojon stayed close to the edge and crept around so he could get a clear shot at Tambor. Seeing the Separatist leader clouded his vision; hate and anger rose up inside him thinking about all the Separatists had done to the planet, and his finger started pulling the trigger.

~

_ The Force moves darkly around a creature about to kill. _ There stood Beta, lightsaber leveled at Wat Tambor’s face, when Obi-Wan’s counsel rose to the forefront of her mind. She stepped back and allowed Cham to put Tambor in electrocuffs, but she scanned the landing platform for any threats. Someone was out to kill. She wasn’t sure who it was, but when their determination reached a tipping point, her hand instinctively flew out to catch a blaster bolt aimed at Tambor’s back. The shot ricocheted backwards, and her eyes followed its trajectory all the way until it buried itself in Oojon’s chest.

The Twi’lek’s youthful eyes widened in shock and pain, and Beta’s eyes stared in horror. He stumbled back, tripped over the edge of the platform, and fell over the side. 

_ “Oojon!”  _ she cried out, dashing to the side. Her companions followed her, save for Syndulla, who stayed behind with Stak and Razor to guard Wat Tambor. She looked down the rock wall at his prone form, then at her shaking hands.  _ I killed someone I was supposed to be here to save.  _

Kal put his hand on her shoulder. “Beta, what happened?”

“He tried to kill Tambor, and I stopped it without seeing who fired the shot… I killed him…”

Mace frowned. “He disobeyed orders and tried to kill an unarmed prisoner. Your instincts served you well, but a little more care and foresight would have been appreciated when you use your powers. They’re not refined yet.”

“Did you sense him, Master Windu?”

“Yes, I did. I also knew he was going to miss.”

“So I killed him for nothing?”

The Jedi Master’s face was inscrutable. “That’s for you to determine. You acted to prevent the death of one at the cost of another. The question is, why did you decide to react immediately instead of waiting to see what happened?”

“I didn’t want to take that risk.”

“So it wasn’t for nothing. But next time, try to use the Force for foresight instead of just another weapon.”

Beta nodded, still troubled. Kal steered her away from the edge. “You did what you thought was best,” he said firmly. “I would’ve done the same thing.”

For once, the teenager didn’t feel better after he said that. “I’ll be glad to get off this planet.”

“Leaving the planet may not mean leaving behind what happened here,” Windu said. “Use what you learned in the future and meditate on it. Otherwise, it will hold you back and make you bitter.”

She tilted her head in acknowledgement. “Yes, Master Windu.” She then turned back to Tambor. “Feel free to tell Count Dooku how I saved your life.”

“It won’t matter,” scoffed the Skakoan. “Count Dooku won’t stand for letting you capture a valuable prisoner such as myself! He’s ordered the droid fighters to bomb the city regardless.”

Sure enough, the droning of the approaching bombers could be heard growing louder by the second. The danger in the back of Beta’s mind became acute panic that the entire attack had been for nothing – only for those fears to be extinguished when Anakin and Ahsoka swooped in and blasted the bombers out of the sky at the last second. 

_ “That was too close!”  _ Anakin said over the comm.

“I’ll say!” responded Beta. “One too many heart attacks for me today. But the planet is now secure!”

“Sooooo… what are the terms of my surrender?” Tambor asked hesitantly.

Syndulla smirked. “Unconditional.”

~

After purging the city of battle droids, Beta joined the Twi’leks in burying their dead. She personally carried Oojon’s body to a secluded location overlooking the bridge, dug his grave, and erected a small pile of stones in memorial. After she finished, she stood watching the sunset, doubt about her actions roiling around her mind.

The people of Lessu celebrated their liberty in a jubilant fashion once the cleanup wrapped up, and despite Beta’s protests, they insisted on having her participate in the festivities. Once the Republic dropships arrived with food and medicine, the wine and food began flowing. Kal and the Nulls carved out a space to sit and eat that was distanced from the epicenter of the partying and dancing. 

Shik sidled up to their table and instigated a drinking game with Ordo and A’den to see how many times Prudii and Mereel would challenge each other to arm-wrestling matches. Beta sat quietly with Kal, Kom’rk, and Jaing, sipping Rylothan yurp and listening to them swap war stories. The alcoholic beverage made her fingers and toes tingle and her cares disappear. It was also her first time tasting anything remotely alcoholic. 

“So where are you off to now?” the female Twi’lek said coyly. One of her lekku fell around Beta’s shoulders. “Can’t you stay for a day? Or a week?”

“Going back to Coruscant, where they’ll tell me where I’m going next,” replied Beta, tripping over her words slightly. 

Kal remained silent, not giving away any hints, but he’d just confirmed her assignment. It would be the first time in months he and Beta would be spending time together for an extended period of time. Her composure had held steady until the Force incident with Oojon, and now she was using alcohol to wipe away the pain – a troubling indicator of her compounding trauma from the war. On the other hand, Mandalorians enjoyed good shared ales and if Beta wanted to be successful on her next mission, she needed to be able to handle her alcohol.

Shik edged closer to Beta, playing with the teenager’s unkempt hair. “If you ever think about making your way back here when the war’s over, make sure to stop by my cottage for a… drink or two.”

Blushing, Beta stared into her glass. “I like you, Shik. But not like that.”

“Oh? You like his type?” she asked, jerking her thumb at Jaing. “I don’t blame you, they  _ are _ quite handsome.”

“Okay,  _ first  _ of all, that would be like dating my drill instructor and brothers all at the same time. And  _ second _ , I’m not attracted to anyone like that. Emotional attachments, yes, but kissing? Making out? Not my cup of tea.”

Ordo nudged her hard with his elbow, causing her to spill a portion of the yurp. “Since when have you had time to figure this stuff out for yourself? Not some crazy Jedi dogma, is it?”

“I get time to sort out my feelings for people. And things. It’s called  _ mmmm- _ meditation.” Beta was finding it harder and harder to vocalize her thoughts, and she frowned at her drink. This conversation was starting to veer towards her relationship with and feelings for Boba. “I think I’ma take a walk to the ship now.”

“It’s so early, though!” protested Shik. “Stay and have another drink!”

Shaking her head with a bemused smile, Beta sunk into a deep bow. “I’m afraid this is where we part ways, my friend.”

Shik was visibly disappointed, but nonetheless, she leaned over and pecked Beta’s cheek. “Well, in a few years, if you ever change your mind about the making out, you know my radio frequency.”

As the general took her last gulp and stood up, Kal mirrored her, firmly holding her shoulder to steer her. “I’ll take you back to the ship, General.”

~

No sooner had they left the revelries, Beta straightened and took a deep, steadying breath. “Did you know the Force can help me stem the effects of alcohol? It’s a trick Master Kenobi told me about in case I ever needed to participate in a diplomatic din –” 

She stopped talking suddenly and slowed her pace. “We’ve got a follower.” Turning around, she peered into her darkening surroundings to see a small figure emerge: Hera Syndulla. The child walked over and took Beta’s hand, leading her up a ridge to a large house with Kal trailing behind them.

“Is this your house?” asked Beta, and Hera nodded in response. When they finished their ascent, the breath almost left Beta as she beheld what was in the front yard: a wrecked Y-wing fighter, still partially intact, and in the droid cockpit…  _ Chopper _ .

“I believe this is your starship?” Cham Syndulla said, emerging from the house. “A few feet to the left and I wouldn’t have a home anymore.”

The general knelt by her droid. His battery had clearly died several days ago, and he looked a little worse for the wear. Maybe it was the lingering effects of the yurp or the stress from the battle, but as she sat with her hands on Chopper’s head, she couldn’t help but feel like she’d lost a friend. Carrying him back to the command ship would be a colossal expenditure of energy. 

Interrupting Beta’s grieved thoughts was tiny Hera, who hugged her then the droid. A faint idea occurred to her. “Hera, would you like to take care of my droid?”

The girl seemed to understand, but she wasn’t fluent in Basic and she was unable to respond, so she turned to her father with pleading eyes.

“Yes, Hera, you may keep the droid. It’s the least we can do for our Republic friend. They will sing songs about you and your friend Master Windu and your tireless efforts to liberate Ryloth: the Sword and the Hammer of Ryloth.”

Skirata clasped Beta’s shoulder firmly. “You shoulda heard the songs they sang about her on Kamino. Not so flattering. More about her size than her merits in battle.”

Before Beta could muster up a retort, her comlink buzzed. _ “This is Master Windu. I need you and Sergeant Skirata to report to the Endurance immediately.” _

“Yes, Master. We’re on our way.”

“And that’s our cue. Let’s go, Beta.”

Beta wiped her eyes and gave Chopper’s dome one last pat. “Should’ve listened to you about hopping in a Y-wing, Chop.” With that she stood up, saluted Hera and Cham, and followed Kal to the shuttles.


	19. Bargain

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tension between Kal and Beta surfaces as they prepare for their next mission.

“A new assignment has come in from the Jedi Council,” Master Windu said, addressing the holographic images of Obi-Wan, Anakin, and Ahsoka. Beta stood on his right hand side; Skirata faced her across the table. “Thanks to intel recently received from Sergeant Skirata, we know Separatists are attempting to supply the Death Watch sect of Mandalorians with funding to carry out terrorist acts against the Republic and the pacifist government of Mandalore. They haven’t occurred yet, but Chancellor Palpatine himself requested that if they do occur, Master Kenobi should investigate any attacks that occur from the planet Mandalore. However, Sergeant Skirata and General Regant will infiltrate the Death Watch starting now.”

Beta’s eyes widened in surprise, but she bit her tongue. If she gave her biological identity away, it would risk her being taken off the mission. Thankfully, Anakin relieved her of being the first one to ask: “Why are we bothering to infiltrate Death Watch if we already have the intel?”

“We don’t know who is actually leading the Death Watch,” Skirata said. “When I was undercover, we just called him  _ Manda’lor _ . Never a name, just the title for the sole ruler of Mandalore.” 

Mace nodded. “We need to know who is making the actual communications with the Separatists. It also looks too suspicious to send Sergeant Skirata back by himself when he disappears for months at a time. Beta will go in as his Mandalorian foundling who just swore herself to the creed. It also gives him a viable reason for leaving – he wanted to go collect Beta and bring her into the fold.”

Kenobi stroked his beard, frowning. “I don’t like this. Beta still needs to learn to harness her Force power, or something might happen that blows your cover.”

“I have faith in her. I trained her in the Mandalorian language and customs, so she will fit right in.”

“Not to mention the most obvious question: where is she going to get a full suit of  _ beskar _ armor?” demanded Skywalker. 

“Got that covered too. I wouldn’t have recommended her for the mission if we didn’t have those details ironed out.”

An uncomfortable stillness rested in the room. Ahsoka, in particular, looked disappointed. “How long will the mission be?”

“As long as it takes, Padawan Tano,” said Mace firmly. “Sergeant Skirata, begin making your preparations with Beta and leave when you are ready. Kenobi, Skywalker, and Padawan Tano are on their way to Felucia right now to defend against the advancing droid forces.”

The figures of Ahsoka, Anakin, and Obi-Wan flickered off, leaving Master Windu alone with Kal and Beta. The Jedi stared at Beta for a long moment. “The Council is pleased with your actions on Ryloth and wanted me to convey that to you personally. I couldn’t help but notice you gave me a little extra push when I was trying to reach the bridge, so I thank you for that.”

Dipping her head in acknowledgment, Beta said, “Thank you for supporting me in this campaign. You didn’t have to let me take the lead, but you did.”

“The Council believes you’ll play an integral role as an ambassador should the situation call for it, and I support their opinion. If it wasn’t for you, the negotiations with the freedom fighters would’ve gone poorly.”

“Master Kenobi’s been a great teacher. I sense he’s had challenging students before.”

“You could say taking Skywalker as an apprentice wasn’t an easy task. I won’t hold you up any longer; go do what you need to before the mission.”

~

Sergeant Skirata and Beta boarded a shuttle headed to the base on Coruscant. Sitting in the pilot’s seat, the teenager pulled out her data chip of Boba and plugged it into the facial recognition database. 

“Still hanging on to the hope that you’ll see Boba again?” nudged Kal.

“It’s not an ‘if,’ it’s a ‘when,’” she replied. “Given my luck, it’ll happen in the worst possible circumstances.”

“Guilt is only going to hold you back.”

She swiveled around to face him. “And manipulation will only get you so far. Why are you choosing now to nudge the Jedi Council into letting me go on a mission that involves Mandalore?”

Kal sighed deeply. “If the Death Watch are collaborating with the Separatists to overthrow the pacifist government on Mandalore, their next move could be provoking the Republic to attack. This would give the Republic justification to take over Mandalore, and in order to preserve our way of life, Mandalore needs to remain a neutral system.”

“Seems like not all Mandalorians agree with what your ‘way of life’ is.” 

“Remember, it’s your way of life too. You swore yourself to the creed. Have you forgotten that?”

“How could I? And why would you ask me that?”

Kal folded his arms across his chest. “Your rapport with the Jedi Windu seems to be strengthening. Did you also forget that he was the one who killed Jango Fett? The man you  _ mourned _ over?”

Her eyebrows contracting, Beta stood up and walked over to face her adoptive father. “How  _ dare _ you ask me that. Are you implying that I’ve forgotten my upbringing on Kamino? And what happened on Geonosis?”

“I suppose I am. And  _ you _ keep deflecting. Answer me straight: are you starting to identify with the Jedi more than your own Mandalorian heritage?” 

_ “No.  _ The Jedi are corrupt and influenced by the whims of the politicians. It’s the whole reason they are commanding the clones in the first place. But,” and she leaned into her words, “it doesn’t mean I can’t learn from them on how to get a handle on how the Force works. And it’s  _ not  _ just about how to scrap clankers or hurt people – it’s about becoming a better person.”

Kal huffed. “Better than  _ what _ , exactly? They’re making you soft in questioning your decisions in battle. Mandalorians need to act with confidence and not ruminate after the fact. You had no trouble acting on your gut on Kamino.”

Raising her voice slightly, Beta fired back, “The galaxy isn’t a training exercise,  _ Kal’buir!  _ There are  _ life _ and  _ death _ consequences for my decisions! I don’t get any do-overs!  _ Everyone _ in this war is waiting for me to fail so they can dictate my fate.”

“I’m not. I want you to succeed.”

“How?” she asked, tears sparkling in her eyes. Her distress was growing and her hands started to shake. “How can you help me when I only see you once every few months? I’m on my own trying to navigate my role in the war! I know you warned me about people trying to manipulate my future, but this war, these politics... I never expected so many people wanting a say. And you’re no different. It’s why you’re taking me to Mandalore! You want me to defect and live with them. I’m  _ tired _ of all the scheming and pushing and pulling! First Dooku, then Jango, then the Jedi, then Chancellor Palpatine, now you!”

Skirata glanced nervously around the cockpit, as it was starting to tremor. It dawned on him that the angry, hurt Beta facing him was the same one who crashed on Kamino almost eleven years ago. The need to calm her down increased in urgency at the same time her point that the Jedi could teach her patience and control became abundantly clear. Putting his hands out in a reassuring manner, Kal said, “Beta, you’re right. I misspoke. I’m sorry.” 

Beta was taken aback, and the ship ceased its shaking. “Did you just say I was right?”

“I did. You’re right about the Jedi being a good influence on you. And you’re right about me. I’m taking you to the Death Watch so you can see firsthand what your family is like. Your aunt will be there, and even if you can’t reveal your identity, you can still decide whether or not you want Mandalore to be your home in the future. Isn’t that what you want? To belong somewhere and not feel like the odd girl out?”

“Well… yeah. It is. I haven’t really fit in anywhere.”

“So we’ll make a deal. If you don’t feel like you fit in with these Mandalorians, I’ll support you no matter where you go after the war. I won’t manipulate the Jedi. But if you do want to live with the Mandalorians, you’ll defect from the army when it’s safe to do so, and you’ll stay with your people.

She mulled over his proposition. “What happens if Mandalore is pulled into the war? What if I have to lead the clones against my people?”

“You’re a survivor. You take whichever path is the best option for survival during the war, just like you did on Geonosis.”

“And if you don’t like my decision?”

“I’ll support you. It’s what family is supposed to do. I’ll even help you find Boba if you want.”

“And you promise not to kill Boba if I find him?”

“On my honor as a Mandalorian.”

Beta took a steadying breath. “You know, for a moment there, I felt angry enough to hurt you.”

Not bothering to hide his discomfort, Kal placed his hand on her shoulder. “You looked like it, too. Which is when I realized you were right about the Jedi.”

“They’re not  _ all _ bad, you know. They made a commitment to the Jedi Order, just like I swore myself to the creed. But there’s so much interconnection between them and the Senate – what planets we’re sent to, who leads what campaign, who we make alliances with… it’s dizzying.”

“Which is why Mandalore needs to remain neutral. You’ll see when we get there.”

~

Opening the dusty crate in her small room in the Jedi Temple, Beta picked up the silver Mandalorian helmet and stared into the T-shaped visor. It reminded her of the many times she had sparred with Jango in his Mandalorian armor and seen her reflection while they were circling each other…

_ Don’t go there, Beta. _ She snapped herself out of her nostalgia, just in time for her to notice Yoda standing in her door. She hastily set the helmet down and bowed slightly. “Master Yoda. I wasn’t expecting to see you before I left.”

“Another mission, have you?” the Jedi asked. 

“Yes, Master.”

“You will not be safe with the Mandalorians – know this, you must.”

“Of course. I know I should be happy to visit the culture I was raised to belong to, but… I just have a sense of foreboding about where this could lead.”

“Clouded, your future is, and full of danger.”

Beta sank onto her bed and bowed her head. “I wish someone could just point me in the right direction. Is that too much to ask?”

Yoda hobbled over to stand next to her. “The strength and knowledge you seek lies within, not outside you. Only the Force can give  _ you _ the wisdom to know the right path.”

“But how do I know when the Force is pushing me in a certain direction?”

“You’ll know when it happens. Trust in the Force, you must. In you, much fear and doubt I sense. A path to the dark side, that is.”

“So I keep hearing.”

The small green alien chuckled. “Hear a lot of things, do you?”

“All the time. Whispers about how dangerous I am.”

“The truth you require – in the Force, it is. Luminous beings we are, not crude matter. The Force manifests itself in us, and a powerful ally you will find the Force to be.”

“I could use an ally on this mission.”

“The Force will be with you. Always.” Yoda’s eyes conveyed genuine concern for her well-being before he turned and walked out of the room. 

~

For the first time since leaving Ryloth, Beta felt at peace with the mission to Mandalore, and she started changing into the full armor suit. She stared into the mirror, in awe of her new uniform. It occurred to her that Kal had probably lied about simply stealing the armor off an assembly line, as it was perfectly tailored to her frame. 

She began equipping the accessories in the box: an ammo belt, holsters, and two WESTAR-35 blasters. Once she slipped the helmet on and all of the weapons systems engaged, she couldn’t help but admire the fierce look. “Beta Regant.  _ Almost _ fourteen years old. Mandalorian. Republic general. Wow, those things do  _ not  _ sound right together.” 

_ I wonder if I’ll get yelled at if I walk through the temple like this… _ The old mischievousness of her Kamino years returned, and she opened up her door – only to see three younglings dawdling in the hallway. Their eyes widened in fright and shock, and they ducked out of sight. Beta promptly shut the door again. 

_ Okay. Maybe not my best idea _ . She was saved by her comlink buzzing insistently. 

“Go ahead,” she said irritably. 

_ “You done looking at yourself in the mirror yet?” _ Skirata’s guttural voice responded.  _ “We need to head out. Meet me at the base.” _

“Roger that,  _ Kal’buir.” _

Opening the door again with her rucksack swung over her shoulder, she discovered the younglings were still there, whispering about what they’d seen moments earlier. Beta removed the helmet and stared back. “On your way, younglings. Nothing to see here.”

“Y-Yes, General Regant,” the oldest, a young Mon Calamari, answered shakily. “Sorry to b-bother you.”

A human trainee waddled closer to her and crossed her arms, looking directly up at her. “I’m Dax. Are you – are you leaving again?” 

His young accent and wide eyes softened Beta’s callous demeanor. “Yes, I suppose I am.”

“You changed your clothes!” the third spoke up. She was a bright-eyed Twi’lek. “Why?”

“Sometimes my missions take me to places where I need to blend in. You’ll understand one day, I’m sure.”

“When you come back, will you eat with us in the cafeteria sometime? I want to hear some stories about the battles!” the Mon Cal said eagerly.

Taken aback at their curiosity, Beta made no promises when she responded, “We’ll see! Maybe if I’m back for more than a day.” She couldn’t help but kneel down to their level. 

“I’m Kee’lu!” the Twi’lek announced. “Master Yoda says you’re keeping us safe from the Separatists and that you’re our friend!”

“Did he, now?”

“Yeah. I like your hair, by the way. It makes you look powerful.”

“Hey, thanks! I’ll remember that the next time I  _ don’t _ feel powerful.”

All three of the younglings were crowded around her now. Dax did something strange: he closed his eyes and put his hands on her cheeks. “You’re amazing and strong. I can  _ feel  _ it.”

“You’re  _ very _ good at sensing things.” She gently pulled his hands away. His youthful clarity had touched her, even scared her a bit. What she would’ve given to be his age again. “I’m afraid I have to leave now.”

“Come back soon?” 

“I promise.”


	20. Allegiance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Beta’s introduction to the Death Watch is not as smooth as she was expecting.

“We’re dropping out of hyperspace now,” Kal announced, clapping Beta’s shoulder as she lay curled up on the bench of the Gauntlet starfighter. 

Beta sat up and made her way to the front of the ship. The smeared stars of hyperspace evaporated into stillness. Filling the viewport was the large dust-colored planet of Mandalore. “So that’s where I was born, eh?”

“And where you were kidnapped from.”

“I have a feeling my biological father and I wouldn’t have gotten along.”

Skirata angled the ship towards a smaller moon orbiting the planet. “Well, you seemed to be get along just fine with Jango, and he kidnapped you from Kamino.” After she was silent for several moments, he asked, “Too soon?”

“Yeah. Just a bit.”

As they entered the atmosphere of Concordia, Beta felt her heart rate increasing. What if the Mandalorians found out she was an undercover operative? What if they could tell she had never really lived in their culture before? Like it normally did when she knew she was about to be tested, her mind ran through all of the customs and traditions Kal engrained in her on Kamino: the creed, their language, their fighting techniques, everything he’d had time to teach her. 

Breaking into her contemplations, Skirata said, “Death Watch operates a mining facility on Concordia. The prime minister, Pre Vizsla, claims publicly that the mining operation doesn’t exist, but it’s too conspicuous not to notice it.”

“Is he on their side?”

“That’s part of why we’re here. It’s only been rumored that he is the  _ Manda’lor _ , never confirmed by my sources. If that’s the case and he’s getting support from Separatists, well… there goes Mandalore’s treaty with the Republic. Separatist involvement is a sure-fire way to bring the clone army down on them.” 

Beta raised her eyebrow at him. “Really. You never  _ once _ asked who their leader really was?”

“I was undercover as a guard of their mining facility. I never really attended any high-level meetings.”

The ship settled down in a hangar embedded into a cliff wall. Slipping her helmet on and taking a deep breath, Beta stowed her lightsaber in a hidden compartment where she felt certain they wouldn’t find it. 

Skirata appraised her proudly. “Look at you. You’re a sight to behold. I promised you I’d introduce you to your people one day.  _ For Mandalore.” _

Beta responded with the same words, but in Mando’a.  _ “Par Manda’yaim.” _

She stayed one step behind Kal. Right before the ramp lowered, he said to her, “There’s one more thing I haven’t told you about this mission.”

Her heart skipped a beat. “What is it?”

“I have to take some extreme measures to protect my cover. You’re going to need to trust me. Follow my lead when I try to convince them of who you actually are.”

Thoroughly confused, she stared at his T-visor. “But we have a cover… right?”

“Not the one the Jedi Windu told you.”

The gangplank lowered to reveal a group of five armored Mandalorians waiting for them. Their armor was the same as Beta’s: weathered chrome with a dark grey flight suit. “Welcome home, Skirata,” the lead warrior greeted them, then caught sight of Beta. “Who have you brought with you?”

“Well, I’m supposed to tell you she’s a new recruit, but… she’s really General Beta Regant of the Grand Army of the Republic.”

There were various outbursts of incredulity, shock, and anger from the Death Watch and Beta alike. “You’ve brought a Republic general? And you thought you could get away with it?” the lead Mandalorian shouted, pointing his blasters at Beta and Kal.

“I’m not a Republic spy, I’m a Mandalorian!” spat Beta, drawing her own weapons. “I was born on Mandalore!”

Skirata placed himself between Beta and the commandos. “She’s a general in the Republic, but she’s my foundling.”

Beta’s heart felt like it was in her stomach. _What is Kal playing at?_ _Why tell them I’m with the Republic?_

The protests continued. “Why bring her here? She’s obviously a spy!”

“What should we do with her?” demanded another of the Mandalorians. “Kill her?”

“We can’t kill her,” Kal said menacingly. “She’s too valuable to the Republic. If you kill her, you’ll bring the Republic army down on you.”

“We should contact the  _ Manda’lor _ ! He’ll know what to do with her.”

It occurred to Beta that Skirata had lied to her about why they were actually there… right before she caught a stun bolt to the chest and lost consciousness.

~

When she woke up, she was fastened to a pole in a small hut with electromagnetic rope. Her armor had been stripped from her flight suit and tossed aside, along with her helmet and weapons. The bindings increased their pressure the moment she tried to use the Force to pull her vibroblade into her grasp.

Some muffled voices speaking Mando’a increased in volume outside her hut. It was clear they were in the middle of a heated discussion. One of the voices was female, and she seemed to be demanding to speak to Beta. “– if she is who you say she is, I need to see her  _ now. _ ”

“Why?” a male voice replied. “The less of us she sees, the better. We can’t risk her escaping and revealing our identities to the Republic.”

“She can be convinced to stay,” Skirata replied. “If we give her the right motivation, she’ll stay by choice.”

Three helmeted figures pushed their way in. The leading Mandalorian wore a set of black and blue armor, and his helmet bore a white trident on its dome. Kal was two steps behind him, and bringing up the rear was a female with distinctive owl stencils on her helmet.

“She’s nothing but a child,” the leader said, crossing his arms. “And you say she’s a general?”

“Yes, a general.”

“If the Separatists find out you brought a Republic general here –”

The female pushed past the male warrior, leaning in close to her face. “What did you say her family name was again?” 

“Regant,” Beta responded – only to be struck across the face by the leader.

“Don’t speak unless spoken to,  _ spy,” _ he spat.

“Wait, wait, wait. Did you say  _ Regant?” _ the woman said. “Who are your parents?”

“Why does it matter, Bo? She’s only here for one purpose and that’s to infiltrate us.”

“It matters to me. Tell me, spy, who birthed you?”

Spitting out blood, the general glanced at Kal and caught the slightest of nods from him. “My parents’ names were Frances and Lorn Regant. They died when I was three.” She wisely left out the part that she herself was responsible for their deaths.

The woman took her helmet off to reveal a fierce-faced warrior with red hair. Her green eyes were not unlike Beta’s. “Did you say…  _ Lorn _ Regant was your mother?”

“I said what I said.”

“Lorn Kryze was my sister before she married that beast of a scientist, Frances Regant, almost fourteen years ago,” Bo said. “He kidnapped her – and you – away from Mandalore in the middle of the night. I never thought we would see you again. You look… just like her.”

“...Really?” Beta said, taken aback. They stared at each other for a long moment. The teenager’s callous, determined face softened at the realization of the familial connection.

“Yeah. My name’s Bo-Katan Kryze.”

The leader cut in. “I’m not following. What are you saying? Why does this matter?”

“This is my niece. She was telling the truth about being born on Mandalore.”

“Hmph. Just because she was born on Mandalore doesn’t mean she’s a Mandalorian. There are customs,  _ traditions _ we swear to that make us Mandalorian. I don’t think a general of the Republic could manage to fulfill those oaths.”

Beta looked sheepishly at Kal, who stepped in between the leader and his foundling. “You’re mistaken. While she wasn’t raised with her people, I adopted her when she was eight and raised her as my foundling. She swore to the creed a year ago after passing the  _ verd’goten _ . She is every bit as Mandalorian as you or I.”

The man took his helmet off, revealing a scowling, hard face, before he pushed past Skirata. “Prove it,” he ordered, slipping into Mando’a. 

Taking a deep breath, she responded in the same language: “Strength is life, for the strong have the right to rule. Honor is life, for with no honor one may as well be dead. Loyalty is life, for without one's clan one has no purpose. Death is life, for one should die as they have lived.”

Still frowning, the leader turned away. The problem remains that if the Separatists find out you brought a Republic general  _ here  _ –”

Kal raised both of his hands up. “As far as I’m concerned, that’s  _ your _ problem. They don’t need to know she’s here. Think of how angry the Separatists will be if they find out she’s still alive. All they need to see is her wearing Death Watch armor and they won’t suspect a thing.”

“Like she deserves to wear our armor…”

“Vizsla. She deserves to prove herself through an honor duel. If she proves herself honorable, she will earn a spot among us.” Bo stood firmly in front of Beta. “She’ll need to wear the armor for the fight to level the playing fields, though.”

_ “Fine.  _ But you’ll be fighting each other _.  _ If either of you refuses to yield, you must do what a Mandalorian does: kill the weaker warrior.”

Something clicked in Beta’s mind from her hurried conversation with Kal before her capture: he’d said she needed to earn her place. This was how. “I accept.”

~

“Okay, Beta. We’ve done this drill a thousand times on Kamino,” Skirata said, putting his hands on his shoulders. “You’ve beaten the Nulls by yourself. It’s just one person this time. Just remember: no Force tricks.”

Now wearing her Mandalorian armor again sans helmet, Beta nodded. They were still in the hut, and just outside were around forty Death Watch commandos waiting for her to face her aunt. She was itching to prove herself. “I won’t let you down,  _ Kal’buir. _ But we’re still not past you betraying me back there.”

“It’s better this way, trust me. If we brought you in under a false identity and they found out who you really were after you got comfortable with them… they’d never trust you again. I surmised that honesty was the best policy. Their trust in you can only go up from here.”

She emitted a guttural sound before finally nodding her agreement. “Will they really accept me if I win?”

Smiling in what he hoped was a reassuring manner, Kal supplied, “It would be dishonorable of them not to acknowledge you’ve earned your place. Killing you after you win would be dishonorable. We’ll work on the  _ trusting _ piece of this mission later. You can do this, Beta. Don’t throw away your shot.”

Beta nodded, took a steadying breath, and strode outside with a confident expression, her hands balled into fists. The commandos barely made a sound as she entered the battle circle where Bo-Katan waited with an equally determined face. Standing beside her was Pre Vizsla, his sneer reflecting his disdain for the situation.

“Begin,” was all he said before stopping away.

The Mandalorian warriors began hollering instantaneously, bellowing their support for Kryze. The two opponents began circling each other, and despite their age difference, Beta felt an irreversible sense of calm. It was Bo-Katan who struck first with a flurry of uppercuts, right hooks, and knees. 

Letting the first few blows land was part of Beta’s strategy so her aunt felt like it would be an easy win. The spectators loved it, too. Little did they suspect that Beta was accustomed to being rooted against. Her eery calm remained in place, and she even allowed herself a sly grin as she fell to one knee following a punch to the gut.

Bo caught this smile and her premature victory smirk slipped slightly. Standing up, Beta struck her usual fighting stance, the one Cody, Rex, and Cord had all faced before they were shortly pinned on the sparring mats. 

“Fighting back is honorable, so feel free to start at any time,” slighted Bo-Katan. 

“Careful what you wish for, Auntie.”

The elder Mandalorian sprinted towards Beta, who deftly side-stepped her at the last second and swept her legs out from underneath her. This action silenced the Mandalorians. Beta wasted no time advancing her attack, putting Bo on the defensive. Eventually, Kryze penetrated the teenager’s defense with a roundhouse kick to the ribs, and Beta stumbled backwards. She recovered quickly by grabbing Bo-Katan’s leg before it was retracted and slamming her to the ground. 

Both women began grappling for the upper hand, rolling over and under each other. At one point, it seemed like Bo-Katan was gaining the upper hand when she put Beta in a chokehold, but a swift elbow jab to her nose loosened her grip so the general could recover the leverage. She flipped Bo-Katan onto her back, wrapped one of her legs around her throat, and used the other leg to pin the Death Watch member’s free arm. “Yield!” she demanded.

The spectators were completely silent, still registering what they were seeing. Struggling futilely to break free, Kryze continued this fight for several long seconds. Beta squeezed tighter.  _ Please yield, please yield, please yield, _ was her internal dialogue.  _ I don’t want to kill you. You’re my aunt. _

“You fought honorably, now  _ yield!” _

Another few moments of tussling, then:  _ “Fine _ . I yield.”

Beta exhaled in relief and released Bo-Katan. Her aunt accepted Beta’s hand in pulling her upright. “You are your mother’s daughter, that’s for sure. She was one of the fiercest Mandalorians and liked to show it every time we sparred.”

“Is that a compliment or a criticism?” asked Beta, unsure what the elder woman was getting at.

“Both, I think. But you fought with honor and we can’t disregard that.”

Vizsla stepped forward, eyes narrowed. “My lieutenant is right, but your allegiance to the Republic remains a conflict of interest.”

Before Kal could intervene, Beta approached the Death Watch leader and stood nose-to-nose with him. “You think I have  _ allegiance _ to the Republic? I wasn’t given a  _ choice _ but to fight for them. I was kidnapped from my home and swept up into their war. I fought for them because it’s what I needed to do to survive.”

“Seems like if you don’t have allegiance to anything, you’ll fall easily for anything.”

“You want to talk about what I stand for? I stand with the man who adopted me and told me no matter what, my path was mine to choose. Jedi, Sith, Republic, Separatist… they all took a crack at me. The only one who took the time to help me stand up on my own two feet was a Mandalorian, and I will honor him by standing for Clan Skirata.” 

Drawing a hilt from his belt, Pre ignited a lightsaber with a gleaming black blade. Her fingers twitched instinctively towards her own side as if her lightsaber were still there, but he raised it in front of their faces as if he was allowing her to study it. “The Darksaber has been in my house for generations after it was stolen from the Jedi Temple in the days of the Old Republic. It is a symbol of leadership among the Mandalorians. The penalty for betraying us is death. Does Clan Skirata pledge itself to House Vizsla without reservation?”

Skirata stepped forward. “We do indeed.”

“Kneel.”

Beta looked at Vizsla for a long moment, carefully weighing her options regarding commitment to a cause solely for the purposes of building trust versus her internal convictions about where her allegiances actually resided. If her allegiances were truly devoted to Kal, she needed to follow his lead. She joined Skirata on the ground, anticipating the Death Watch leader to use the opportunity to decapitate them both. 

Instead, Pre Vizsla tapped both of her shoulders with the blade, then Kal’s shoulders. “Rise, Clan Skirata. You’re now pledged to House Vizsla. Defend our house with honor and you’ll receive the same in return.”

A triumphant sigh escaped Beta, one she’d been holding in for several tense minutes. Even as she stood up and clasped her adoptive father’s forearm in solidarity, she saw Vizsla looking at the pair of them with narrowed eyes.


End file.
